Baseball

Ohtani Hits the Longest Home Run of His MLB Career to Reach 30 This Season

AP
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Anaheim on Friday.

The Associated Press

13:17 JST, July 1, 2023

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a 493-foot home run Friday night — the longest of his major league career — to become the ninth player to reach 30 homers in a season by July 1.

The Los Angeles Angels’ two-way superstar drove a slider from Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Tommy Henry to right field in the sixth inning to get the Angels within 5-1. It was the longest home run in the majors this year.

Ohtani became the first player since Baltimore’s Chris Davis in 2013 to hit 30 homers by the end of June. Davis had 31.

Babe Ruth, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa each did it twice. The others are Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Luis Gonzalez and Albert Pujols. Bonds had 39 by July 1 in 2001 en route to setting the single-season record with 73.

Ohtani has hit 15 home runs in June. Besides being an Angels record for the most in any month, he is the fourth player in AL history to hit at least 15 in June, joining Babe Ruth (1930 Yankees), Bob Johnson (1934 A’s) and Roger Maris (1961 Yankees).

Ohtani’s three longest homers have come at Angel Stadium. His previous best was a 470-foot drive off Kansas City’s Kris Bubic in 2001. It was also Ohtani’s fifth long ball this week.