It is not every day that a player is able to surpass Babe Ruth in any notable statistical category, but Shohei Ohtani had a chance to do so on Tuesday.
The Angels’ two-way superstar needed to strike out just two Astros batters to surpass Ruth’s career strikeout total of 501 during the game.
It took him only two innings to achieve that feat.
Ohtani faced Jeremy Peña in the top of the second with one strikeout already under his belt. He then delivered a 1-2 pitch to Astros shortstop, an 86-mph breaking ball that plunged out of the zone with reckless abandon at the last second.
Peña swung helplessly at the pitch to cement Ohtani’s place in MLB’s history and record book.
But what exactly did Ohtani achieve in passing Ruth? Well, the 28-year-old now has the most strikeouts by an MLB player who also has 100-plus career home runs.
Certainly, that is not a statistical group for which many qualify, but it further distinguishes the absurd nature of Ohtani’s success both on the mound and at the plate. Simply put, he is elite in both facets.
Entering Tuesday’s action, the righthander had a 4-0 record, boasted an ERA of 2.54 and led MLB in strikeouts with 59. Meanwhile, he has posted a slash line of .301/.369/.526 at the plate while hitting long balls.
Ohtani has been the most impactful player in baseball in all areas of the game. That is why he is once again considered a frontrunner to be AL MVP while he will also have a chance at winning both the Cy Young and a Silver Slugger award.
Indeed, Ohtani is a one-of-a-kind talent, yet he continues to make achieving history seem more commonplace. He will likely continue to blow by the two-way records held by Ruth as his career goes on.
The only question remaining will be about whether Ohtani will get a chance to take aim at some of the playoff records that Ruth owns. The Angels have yet to make the postseason during his tenure in Los Angeles, but they entered play Tuesday with a 20-18 record and just a game back of the third wild card spot in the American League.
