Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who hit the record of 40 homers and 40 steals in the history of the Major League with his walk-off grand slam, failed to recover the historic ball. What has happened.
Ohtani started as the first designated hitter in the home game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California on the 24th (Korea Standard Time), and hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to set a long-awaited 40-40 milestone. The sixth record in Major League history.
Ohtani, who had 39 homers and 39 steals before the game, had an infield hit to the shortstop in the bottom of the fourth inning and successfully stole second base. This was his 40th stolen base of this season. After the Dodgers finished its offense in the bottom of the fourth inning, the stadium management team took out the second base in advance and replaced it with a new one to commemorate the 40-40.
In his final at-bat in the bottom of the ninth inning, when the score was tying 3-3, Ohtani scored more than 40 home runs with a picturesque grand slam. Everyone was surprised at the sight and couldn’t believe it, and set a new milestone with a cartoonish story.
It was all the more impressive as it was 40-40, which was achieved in at least 126 games (129 team games). In 2006, he became the first Major League player to join the 40-40 club in August, advancing 147 games (148 team games) of the Washington Nationals Alfonso Soriano.
However, this milestone homerun ball disappeared. Ohtani’s homerun hit slightly to the right side of the central fence. It hit the glove of a male spectator and fell back to the ground. The male spectator who missed the catch hugged his head and expressed regret. It was well worth it. 토토사이트
Considering superstar Ohtani’s record of 40-40 games, he would have been auctioned off at a high price of more than 1 million dollars. Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees’ record of 62 home runs in the American League in 2022 was sold for 1.5 million dollars.
The home run ball came back to the ground after hitting the glove of spectators. It was thought that the monumental ball would naturally be returned to the Dodgers, but his whereabouts remained unknown after the game. According to the Dodgers, center fielder Jose Siri threw the ball back to the stands. It is not known yet which spectator took the ball.
Questions arise as to why Siri threw the ball back to the stands. It could be a kind of fan service that came out of his mind. However, it does not make sense to him that even the opposing team did not know Otani’s 40-40 approach, which has emerged as the biggest concern in the Major League. It could have been an expression of regret for his team’s loss at the end of the game, but only Siri himself would know the truth.
Ohtani, who was congratulated by his teammates while enjoying the joy of the walk-off grand slam, was also distracted and unaware of the whereabouts of the home run ball. In an interview with reporters after the game, Ohtani said about the home run situation, “I didn’t know if the ball hit the fence or caught, but when I saw the referee raise his hand, I knew the ball went out,” adding, “I don’t know. I just came (for an interview).”
The whereabouts of the 40-40 Home Run Ball is unknown, but if Ohtani achieves 50-50, the value of the ball will inevitably decrease. With 33 more games to go during the regular season of the Dodgers, Ohtani’s current pace, he can also challenge the 50-50 for the first time in his history. Arithmetically, he can reach the 50-50 mark.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “It’s possible. It’s a record that Ohtani has never recorded before, but Ohtani has more than a month to go. Anything is not impossible for Ohtani. He wants to be the greatest player in the game.”
“It’s one of the most memorable moments in my career. I hope I can do more and make more memorable moments in the future,” Ohtani said. “The most important thing is to contribute to our team’s victory. The closer we get to 50-50, the more we will contribute to our team’s victory. That’s what I’m satisfied with.”