Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani entered Wednesday’s matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals on the brink of yet another achievement.
With 999 career hits already under his belt—a remarkable feat given he kept hitting while recovering from two elbow surgeries and during the shortened 2020 season—Ohtani reached the 1,000-hit milestone in the third inning. He crushed a two-run home run off Cardinals pitcher Matthew Liberatore, briefly putting the Dodgers ahead 2-1. However, the bullpen couldn’t maintain the lead, and the team ultimately lost 5-3.
Ohtani continues to impress during his gradual return to starting pitching. At the plate, he’s slashing .276/.381/.606 across 521 plate appearances, with 39 home runs, 15 doubles, and 16 stolen bases. On the mound, he’s recorded a 2.37 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over 19 innings, with 25 strikeouts and just five walks.
Reaching 1,000 hits adds to Ohtani’s ever-growing Hall of Fame résumé. The 2018 AL Rookie of the Year has earned five All-Star selections and won three MVP awards, joining Hall of Famer Frank Robinson as the only players to earn MVP honors in both leagues. He’s just one homer away from notching his fourth 40+ home run season and remains the only player in MLB history to hit 50+ home runs and steal 50+ bases in a single season.
Ohtani’s pitching stats are equally standout. He has recorded double-digit win totals twice and fanned over 150 hitters in three separate seasons. In 2022, he finished fourth in the AL Cy Young voting after going 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA, 1.012 WHIP, and 219 strikeouts over 166 innings.
This latest milestone is just one of many Ohtani is likely to achieve as his extraordinary career progresses.
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