Shohei Ohtani (29-LA Angels) is in trouble. After missing two straight games, he’s lost the major league home run lead.
Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves hit a three-run home run during the 2023 Major League Baseball home opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at Truiste Park in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., on June 6.
Olson hit a solo shot over the center field fence off St. Louis pitcher Miles Mikolas with the bases loaded in the sixth inning with his team trailing 2-9.
It was Olson’s second straight game with an arching shot. Olson’s 45th home run of the season. It moved him past Ohtani, who was tied for the major league lead in home runs, into sole possession of first place. Having already broken his own record for most home runs in a season (39 in 2021), Olson is on pace to reach the 50-homer plateau.
Ohtani, on the other hand, has been in the news lately for his health. Late last month, he was diagnosed with ligament damage in his right elbow and hasn’t pitched since. This year, Ohtani appeared in 23 games as a pitcher, posting a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA. He continues to serve as a designated hitter instead, but he’s been feeling a little off lately. He missed Games 5 and 6 due to side pain.바카라사이트
Ohtani hasn’t even participated in a team photo shoot this year. “Ohtani was unable to participate in the team photo event,” the Associated Press reported on June 6, adding that the Angels “outfitted Band with a No. 17 (Ohtani’s number) jersey.”
In 135 games this season, Ohtani hit .304 with 44 home runs, 95 RBIs, 102 runs scored, 20 doubles, a .412 slugging percentage, a .654 on-base percentage, and a 1.066 OPS. However, he hasn’t hit anything big lately. He hasn’t cleared the fence in 10 games since the first game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds on March 24. He’s two home runs shy of his career-high (46) in 2021. The American League (AL) home run leader is a virtual lock, but can he add his name to the top of the overall home run list?