ANAHEIM: Apparently there’s nothing Shohei Ohtani can do on a baseball field, and on Tuesday, against the Yankees, he did something he had never done before.
The two-way star stole home for the first time in his four-year career as part of a three-race rally at the Angels ’fifth inning. With runners in first and third, Phil Gosselin stole the second and Ohtani successfully stole home as part of a double steal. Ohtani made an incredible slide in front of Gary Sanchez, barely surpassing the home throw from shortstop Gio Urshela.
It was the second stolen base of the game by Ohtani, who is the favorite for the American League MVP award in September. Ohtani leads the Majors with 42 homers and also has 22 stolen bases. He is only the fourth player in AL history with at least 42 homers and 22 stolen bases in a season, joining Jose Canseco (1988, ’91, ’98), Alex Rodriguez (’98, 2007) and Ken Griffey Jr. (’99). And it is also 8-1 with an effectiveness of 3.00 and 127 attacks in 105 innings of more than 19 outings on the mound.
Ohtani intentionally walked with runners in the second and third with two outs in the fifth. But the play fell behind for the Yankees as Gosselin came up with a two-run right-back Jameson Taillon. The reliever Joely Rodríguez came in but allowed the double steal, which was the second of the match for the Angels.
David Fletcher and Ohtani also got a second and third double steal as part of a fourth three-run inning. Gosselin appeared a bunt for the first out, but Jared Walsh followed with a three-run blast to give the Angels the lead.