Shohei Ohtani Hits 1st All-Star Game Homer in 4th Appearance; Joins Ichiro as Only Japanese with HRs in Midsummer Classic

By Toshiaki Obitsu and Yu Hirasawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondents

16:43 JST, July 17, 2024

ARLINGTON, Texas — Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani lived up to expectations, blasting a three-run homer in the MLB All-Star Game in in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.

Ohtani’s first home run in his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance in the third inning was not enough to keep the American League from winning the game 5-3.

Ohtani, 30, who batted second in the starting lineup, became the second Japanese player to homer in an All-Star Game, but the first to hit one over the fence. Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners had an inside-the-park homer in 2007.

Ohtani was playing for the National League for the first time after joining the Dodgers from the Los Angeles Angels as free agent. After undergoing surgery to repair his right elbow ligament last September, the two-way star has been limited to batting this season.

Meanwhile, Chicago Cubs lefthander Shota Imanaga, 30, who was made the All-Star roster in his first season in the majors, allowed no runs in one inning as the fourth pitcher for the National League.