Ohtani ties Shawn Green: Dodgers’ all-time mark now within reach
The tension hung around until the seventh inning Tuesday night in San Francisco. Shohei Ohtani still hadnt reached base, and his current on-base streak, the longest in the majors, was down to the thinnest of margins. After unsuccessfully challenging a strike through the ABS system, the Japanese star took matters into his own hands, racing like mad to first base to turn a routine grounder into an infield hit. That gave him a 53rd straight game with at least one time on base, tying Shawn Green for the top spot in Dodgers history.
For manager Dave Roberts, the feat is even more striking because Ohtani is still searching for his best rhythm at the plate. “You could see his determination on that run to keep the inning alive. The fact he matches this record while he is still not fully locked in with his swing shows just how much of an impact player he is,” Roberts said despite his side’s 3-1 loss. Right now, the superstar is hitting .271 with an .890 OPS through 23 games this season.
A double test for history on Wednesday
From Wednesday, Ohtani has a chance to become the lone holder of the franchise’s modern-era record by moving past Green’s mark. If he does, only Duke Snider and his 58 games, set in 1954 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, will stand ahead of him. For this key matchup, the phenom will also be on the mound for his fourth start of the year.
Dave Roberts confirmed his star will hit while pitching, despite a recent bruise to his right shoulder suffered Monday. The medical staff had briefly considered giving him a bit of a rest at the plate, but the player’s drive to help the team win tipped the balance. Roberts insists Ohtani is not chasing personal records: his obsession is getting on base and creating scoring chances, especially for an offense that struggled badly in the defeat to the Giants.
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