Epic June: Ohtani put on baseball’s greatest Sho
Shohei Ohtani’s walk-up music most of last season was the theme to “The Greatest Showman.” After the Los Angeles Angels star’s June, he should consider returning to it.
The Japanese two-way phenom has amazed fans, teammates, and opponents since coming to the majors in 2018. June, though, was “The Greatest Sho” at the plate.
“I’m in a good spot right now,” Ohtani said through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara when asked if he was pitching and hitting at his best. “Hitting-wise, I feel like it is up there for sure.”
Ohtani hit 15 home runs, the most in a month in Angels history. He became the first player in 10 years to reach 30 homers before July 1. Ohtani tied the AL record for most homers in June with a majestic 493-foot drive in Friday’s loss to Arizona.
The power numbers, though, are only part of the story of a dominant month. Ohtani’s .394 average, 41 hits, and 29 RBIs are his best in any month.
His .952 slugging percentage in June was the third highest in MLB history, surpassed only by Babe Ruth in 1920 and ’21. His 1.444 OPS is the highest since Lou Gehrig had a 1.470 in 1936.
Besides vaulting into the major-league lead in homers, Ohtani is tied in RBIs with 67.
Rays’ Arozarena enters Derby
Rays All-Star left fielder Randy Arozarena will participate in the 2023 Home Run Derby.
This will be Arozarena’s first time in the Derby, and makes him the third Rays player to participate in one after Evan Longoria and Carlos Peña. Arozarena is the fourth announced participant in the eight-man July 10 contest at T-Mobile Park, joining Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez, Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Dodgers outfielder
Mookie Betts.
Yankees-Cardinals split in rain
Harrison Bader had a first-inning sacrifice fly in his return to St. Louis, rookie Anthony Volpe hit a go-ahead triple as part of his fifth straight multihit game, and the Yankees beat the Cardinals, 6-2, for a doubleheader split.
St. Louis won the rain-interrupted opener, 11-4, behind Paul Goldschmidt’s go-ahead, three-run homer off Luis Severino in a five-run third. Jack Flaherty pitched six shutout innings, Goldschmidt had four RBIs, and Nolan Gorman also homered for the Cardinals.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa had three hits in the second game as the Yankees won for the fifth time in their last seven.
Eovaldi second to 10 wins in AL
Nathan Eovaldi pitched seven scoreless innings to become the American League’s second 10-game winner and the AL West-leading Rangers beat the second-place Astros, 5-2, in Arlington, Texas.
Eovaldi (10-3) struck out five and limited the Astros to two singles, but also had a season-high four walks while throwing 58 of 97 pitches for strikes. The righthander lowered his ERA to 2.64 with his fifth start this season in which he didn’t allow a run.
Ober blanks reeling Orioles
Bailey Ober allowed two hits over seven innings, Joey Gallo homered, and the Twins beat the Orioles, 1-0, at Camden Yards, extending Baltimore’s losing streak to a season-high four games.
Ober (5-4) gave up a second-inning single to Gunnar Henderson, hit Ryan O’Hearn with a pitch in the fourth, and yielded a single to Anthony Santander in the seventh.
Those were the only runners to reach against the 6-foot-9-inch Ober, who made it through seven innings for the second time in 44 MLB starts. The righthander struck out eight and did not allow a runner past first.
Chapman won’t close
Aroldis Chapman is back in the bullpen for a division-leading team, though he won’t initially be the primary closer for the Rangers.
The once-dominant reliever joined the AL West leaders after being acquired in a trade from the last-place Royals. Texas manager Bruce Bochy said Will Smith, who has 14 saves, with 10 consecutive conversions since early May, will stay in that role. Chapman will likely be used much like he was in Kansas City, where he finished games in only seven of his 31 appearances.
Rays ace McClanahan to IL
Shane McClanahan was put on the 15-day injured list by the Rays, a day after the 26-yearold lefthander came out of his second straight start because of mid-back tightness. McClanahan, 11-1 with a 2.53 ERA, left a June 22 outing against Kansas City after 3„ innings and Friday’s start against Seattle after three innings . . . Astros lefthander Framber Valdez will miss his start Sunday against Texas because of right ankle soreness. Manager Dusty Baker said Valdez (7-6, 2.49 ERA) sprained his ankle on June 20 against the Mets, even though he made his next start in St. Louis.