Shohei Ohtani continues to expand his legacy in the Major Leagues. The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar hit the 300th home run of his career on Tuesday and became the fifth player who needed the fewest games to reach that number.
The Japanese reached the historic mark in just 1,102 games as a hitter. Only Juan González, Ryan Howard, Ralph Kiner and Aaron Judge needed fewer games to reach 300 home runs. In addition, Ohtani became part of the group of just 18 active players with at least 300 home runs in the Majors.
The historic connection came in the first shift of the game against the Colorado Rockies. Ohtani opened the game with a solo home run off pitcher Michael Lorenzen, sparking celebration from the fans at Dodger Stadium.
The hit also had a curious fact. According to MLB, Ohtani joined Steve Finley as the only players in history to hit a leadoff home run in a game to reach exactly 300 career home runs.
The Japanese season continues to be outstanding. The 31-year-old is hitting .297, with a .410 on-base percentage and a .546 slugging percentage, in addition to 20 home runs and 56 RBIs. With this, he reached at least 20 home runs for the sixth consecutive season and for the seventh time since he debuted in the Major Leagues in 2018.
But Ohtani’s greatness isn’t limited to the bat. According to ESPN data, he is the first player in Major League history to reach 300 home runs and 100 stolen bases during his first nine seasons in the Majors.
His impact as a pitcher also sets him apart from the rest. Before temporarily focusing on his recovery, he racked up 765 strikeouts in 614.1 innings. No other player with at least 300 home runs has recorded a similar number from the mound. He even far surpasses Babe Ruth, who finished his career with 714 home runs and 501 strikeouts as a pitcher.
With each new performance, Ohtani continues to build an unprecedented legacy, combining elite offensive power with pitch production that no other player of his generation has managed to match.
