Ohtani ties record for HRs by Japanese-born player

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani tied the MLB record for the most homers in a season by a Japaneseborn player when he blasted a 459-foot solo shot off Baltimore Orioles pitcher Thomas Eshelman to straightaway center Sunday in Anaheim, Calif.

It was his 14th homer in 17 games overall.

With his drive over the ficus trees beyond the centerfield fence, Ohtani matched Hideki Matsui’s major league record for homers by a Japanese slugger. Matsui did it over 159 games with the Yankees in 2004, while Ohtani only needed 81 games while also making 12 starts on the mound.

Phillies

After the 2018 seson, Manny Machado was Philadelphia’s No. 1 free-agent target. He signed instead with San Diego for $300 million over 10 years. The Phillies settled for Bryce Harper on a $330 million, 13-year deal. Since those signings, Machado is batting .268 with 63 homers and 189 RBIs; Harper is batting .263 with 62 homers and 173 RBIs.

Rangers

Texas starter Mike Foltynewicz allowed only four hits over seven innings against the Seattle Mariners, but two were home runs giving him a major league-high 21 home runs allowed this season.

Astros

With his club in town for a weekend series, Houston manager Dusty Baker spent Saturday afternoon at Cleveland’s most popular tourist destination, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “It was cool as heck,” he said. “They took me back to the off-limits area where we had to put on gloves to touch anything.” Baker said he most enjoyed seeing Billy Preston’s shoes, Christine McVie’s shawl, Ray Charles’ jacket and Grace Slick’s dress in the climatecontrolled archives.

Cardinals

Nolan Arenado, who played eight seasons in Colorado, didn’t have the most productive return to Coors Field. Over the four-game series, he went 2 for 14 with no homers or RBIs. Arenado did receive a round of applause Sunday before stepping into the batter’s box.