ANAHEIM, California – Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani equaled a Major League Baseball record on Friday by drawing 11 walks over a three-game span.
Ohtani, third in the majors with 45 home runs, struck out once in Friday’s series opener against the Seattle Mariners but drew four walks. He was even walked intentionally to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning in the Angels’ 6-5 loss to the Mariners.
Bryce Harper set the record with the National League’s Washington Nationals in 2016, while Ohtani now holds the American League record.
Ohtani drew a career-high four walks on Wednesday and three on Thursday against the Houston Astros. The 27-year-old Japanese now ranks second in MLB with 17 intentional walks behind Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals.
Ohtani is scheduled to pitch Sunday in the Angels’ final home game of the season. He currently has a 9-2 record and has a chance to match Hall of Famer Babe Ruth as the only player to win 10 games as a pitcher while hitting 10 homers in the same season.
Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are currently tied for the home run lead with 46. Perez has nine games left this season, while Ohtani and Guerrero have eight.
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Source : Baseball – The Japan Times
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