‘Japanese pitching match’ Ohtani, high school senior Kikuchi’s 3rd gun bang… Pre-game on-base streak

Baseball Genius’ Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels) fired his 3rd shot of the season against high school senior Yusei Kikuchi (Toronto Blue Jays). 

On the 10th (Korean time), Ohtani started as the designated hitter in the third game of the 2023 Major League Baseball match against the Toronto Blue Jays at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, USA, and started a home run in the second at-bat. 

Ohtani appeared with one out and first base in the third inning, leading 3-0, and hit a two-run home run. After meeting Toronto starter Kikuchi and preoccupying the 2B-1S advantageous count, he attacked the 89.3 mile (143 km) slider on the 4th pitch and crossed the middle wall. It was his third home run of the season after five games since the match against the Seattle Mariners on the 4th. With this home run, Ohtani hit base in the last 4 consecutive games and has been on base in all games (9 games) since the opening game on March 31st.

Ohtani, born in 1994, and Kikuchi, born in 1991,메이저사이트 are senior and junior at Hanamaki Higashi High School in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Ohtani, who doubles as a pitcher, entered the major leagues in 2018 and won the American League Rookie of the Year title, then won the MVP in 2021, and Kikuchi joined the major leagues in 2019.