Baseball

54-59: Shohei Ohtani Likely to Nab Home Run, RBI Titles; Narrowly Loses Batting Crown to Arraez

Koki Kataoka / The Yomiuri Shimbun
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani high-fives manager Dave Roberts as the Dodgers defeated the Rockies in Denver on Sunday.

By Toshiaki Obitsu / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

15:28 JST, September 30, 2024

DENVER — Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shoei Ohtani is almost certain to win the home run and RBI titles in the National League, barely missing the Triple Crown as the Dodgers had their last game of the regular season in Denver on Sunday.

“The most important part of all this is that I was able to play consistently the whole year,” Ohtani said in a post-game interview.

AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani pulls in to second base on a double steal in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Denver.

During the season, the 30-year-old Ohtani hit .310 with 54 home runs and 130 RBIs as well as 59 stolen bases. With all the teams finishing the season on Monday, it is almost guaranteed that Ohtani will win his second consecutive home run title and his first RBI title in his first year with the Dodgers.

However, he just missed the batting crown, as the San Diego Padres’ Luis Arraez ended the season with a .314 average.

Ohtani started the Sunday game against the Colorado Rockies as the leadoff designated hitter and went 1 for 4. He stole second in the eighth inning, stretching his total to 59. The Dodgers won 2-1.