As September begins, Shohei Ohtani is on the verge of achieving remarkable milestones each time he steps up to bat or reaches base. After completing a four-game series against the Diamondbacks, Ohtani has accumulated 44 home runs and 46 stolen bases this season. This impressive performance places him in elite company as the only player to have reached the 43-43 and 44-44 milestones, and he is on track to potentially achieve 45-45 or even 50-50 with over 20 games remaining.
Ohtani’s recent series against the Diamondbacks marked a return to form after a challenging August, where he batted just .235. He excelled in the series, recording five hits, two home runs, and four stolen bases. According to FanGraphs, he is projected to finish the season with 50 home runs and 51 stolen bases.
Now just one home run shy of reaching 45, Ohtani and the Dodgers are set to travel to Anaheim, marking his first regular-season return to his former team since departing in free agency. The Angels have struggled this season, even finding themselves with a worse record than the Athletics, who are set to relocate. This context makes it an ideal opportunity for Ohtani to make history against them.
In anticipation of his return, Ohtani addressed questions regarding his free agency. He maintained his diplomatic demeanor but noted, “Other teams, including the Dodgers, evaluated me highly. […] I wasn’t made an offer [by the Angels], so I can’t say [if I’d still be an Angel].”
Ohtani’s comments about his evaluation by other teams, including the Dodgers, imply that the Angels may not have seen his value as others did. During his six years with the Angels, the team failed to make the postseason or consistently perform well, despite his standout talents and those of Mike Trout. Reports have suggested that Angels owner Arte Moreno declined to match the Dodgers’ substantial offer of $700 million, and there are no plans to honor Ohtani during his return to Angel Stadium.
A pivotal moment for Ohtani would be achieving his 45th home run in front of the Angels’ fanbase, many of whom may feel bitter about his departure to the Dodgers. With the Dodgers currently in strong form following a decisive series win against a top-tier team, Ohtani is expectantly positioned to further showcase his talents against the Angels, adding to the complexity of his return.