September 29, 2021

Ohtani Walked 13 Times In A Span Of 21 PA (September 21-25);
He Also Hit Two Triples And A Home Run, And Scored Six Runs
Then He Pitched Seven Innings, Allowed One Run, Struck Out 10

In 19 plate appearances spanning four games last week, Shohei Ohtani walked 13 times!

0921 vs HOU -  F8  13   1B  HR
0922 vs HOU -  BB  BB   3U  BBI  BBI  K
0923 vs HOU -  K   BB   BB  BB
0924 vs SEA -  K   BBI  BB  BB   BBI
0925 vs SEA  - 3B  3B   BB  BB   K

In the bolded entries, Ohtani came to the plate 21 times. He went 4-for-8 with 13 walks. His on-base percentage was .810. Three of his four hits were for extra bases. He also scored six times, drove in four runs, and stole his 24th base of the season.

Then, on September 26, Ohtani pitched seven innings, allowing only five hits and one run (a solo home run in his final inning). He walked no one and struck out 10.

Most Walks In A Three-Game Span (Since 1901)

11 - Bryce Harper (2016)
11 - Shohei Ohtani (2021)
10 - Tris Speaker (1912)
10 - Babe Ruth (1930)
10 - Max Bishop (1934)
10 - Eddie Stanky (1950)
10 - Pete Runnels (1959)
10 - Reggie Jackson (1969)
10 - Barry Bonds (2002)

Most Walks In A Four-Game Span (Since 1901)

13 - Babe Ruth (1930)
13 - Shohei Ohtani (2021)
13 - Yasmani Grandal (2021)

Ohtani was also the first player since Barry Bonds (2003) to have at least three walks in three consecutive games. (The MLB record is four consecutive games: Mickey Mantle (1957) and Babe Ruth (1930).)

Ohtani has walked four times in a game twice this season, joining Fred Lynn (1984), Chris Iannetta  (2013), and Mike Trout (2018) as the only Angels players to do so.

Ohtani leads the American League with 17 intentional walks (five more than Matt Olson). (Juan Soto of the Reds leads MLB with 22.)

Only 37.7% of pitches thrown to Ohtani this season have been in the strike zone. It's the fourth-lowest strike percentage among all major league batters. Despite seeing so few strikes, Ohtani ranks fourth in MLB in slugging, fifth in OPS, and tied for fifth in total bases.

Players With 45+ HR, 20+ SB, 6+ Triples In A Season

Willie Mays (1955)
Shohei Ohtani (2021)

No player in the last 100 years has pitched in more than 15 games and hit more than 4 triples in a single season.  Well, except for Shohei Ohtani (23 games, 7 triples). Exploding head

Players Pitching In 15+ Games And Hitting 4+ Triples In A Season (Last 100 Years)

Bullet Rogan (1928, Negro National League I): 17 games, 5 triples)
Shohei Ohtani (2021, American League: 23 games, 7 triples)

Here are the only known occasions (AL/NL) in which a pitcher has been intentionally walked in back-to-back pitching appearances:

Babe Ruth
August 17, 1918 vs Cleveland
August 20, 1918 vs Cleveland

Shohei Ohtani
September 10, 2021 at Astros
September 19, 2021 vs Athletics

Ohtani has hit five home runs with an exit velocity of 116+ MPH, the most in MLB.

Ohtani is only the sixth major league pitcher to make 13+ starts at home with no losing decisions and an ERA under 2.00. In 13 Anaheim starts, he's 6-0, 1.95.

Mike Trout, on Ohtani:

He's the MVP. He's just a truly amazing talent. What Vladdy is doing over there is unbelievable and he's in the race. His [offensive] numbers might be a little bit better than Ohtani but then you look at Vladdy's pitching. . . . I haven't seen him pitch.

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