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The American League MVP race will come down to Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, and while the New York Yankees slugger is nearing a home-run record, Ohtani achieved a milestone Wednesday that put him in a club of just one.
Ohtani became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit 30 home runs and record 10 pitching wins in a single season. He helped the Los Angeles Angels top the Yankees 3-2 to take the series over one of the best teams in baseball.
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Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, #17, celebrates with David Fletcher, #22, and Mike Trout, #27, after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees in Anaheim, California, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. Fletcher and Trout also scored.
(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
He finished the series against the Yankees 5-for-12 with two home runs and five RBI.
“It definitely leads to motivation for me to do better. I mean trying to go for that hardware,” he told reporters through an interpreter. “It’s something that I think about for the most part, but I try to take it game by game and then count it all up.”
Ohtani also became the first Japanese-born player to hit 30 home runs in consecutive seasons.
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, #17, celebrates with Mike Trout, left, after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees in Anaheim, California, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. David Fletcher and Trout also scored.
(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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The reigning AL MVP has been compared to Babe Ruth in many ways, but even “The Great Bambino” had not done with Ohtani accomplished on Wednesday. Ruth played from 1914 to 1935. He won 10 or more games with the Boston Red Sox from 1915 to 1918 but did not really start hitting until 1919.
The next step for Ohtani would be to do it in the postseason. The Angels have not won more than 80 games since he joined Los Angeles in 2018.
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, #17, reacts as he runs the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees in Anaheim, California, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022.
(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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This season will be no different. The team is fourth in the American League West and moved to 57-74 after beating the Yankees.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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