Since the RBI became an official stat in 1920, Ohtani is the first player to strike out 10, drive in two runs and steal a base in the same game, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
Shohei Ohtani is the first player since RBI went official in 1920 to do all of the following in a single game:
– 10 strikeouts as a pitcher
– 2 RBIs as a batter
– a stolen base pic.twitter.com/GXmuoaGptt— ESPN Stats and Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 7, 2022
Ohtani is in the midst of an illustrious streak, even by his standards. He has pitched 28â…” straight innings without allowing an earned run, dating back to the fifth inning of a June 9 start against Boston, and has won five straight starts. It is also one of six launchers since 1913 (including Clayton Kershaw twice) to go four starts without earned runs and 40 strikeouts.
Of course, none of those pitchers hit like Ohtani. Since that June 9 start against the Red Sox, he’s batting .305 with a .398 on-base percentage and .634 slugging percentage — making his more slugging 1.032 on base almost triple the meager mark of .364 that opponents succeeded against him. .
On the mound, Ohtani continued his unblemished record despite a slow start on Wednesday. The Marlins scratched a first-inning run on a pitching error, a double and a sacrificed fly. They added a walk and a single in the second. But then Ohtani struck out the next 13 batters, striking out eight, as the Angels took a 5-1 lead.
Over the past four weeks, Ohtani has increased his OPS from 0.765 to 0.839 and lowered his ERA from 3.99 to 2.44.
While Ohtani’s night was historic, he recorded other similar performances this year in a callback to his American League MVP season. Last month, he pitched eight scoreless innings a day after bludgeoning two three-run homers. And on May 5 at Fenway Park, Ohtani pitched seven scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts and also hit a 109 mph line off the Green Monster.
