Ohtani Hits 30th Homer for Sixth Straight Year, Roberts Sees Competition Fueling MVP Bid

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani achieved a remarkable milestone on Tuesday, hitting his 30th home run of the season. This blast against the Colorado Rockies marks the sixth consecutive year Ohtani has reached the 30-homer mark, a feat unprecedented in Major League Baseball history.

Ohtani's accomplishment makes him the first player ever, and the first Japanese player, to record six straight seasons with at least 30 home runs. He also holds the distinction of being the first player in Dodgers franchise history to hit 30 home runs in his first three seasons with the team.

“

This is a very, very remarkable thing. First, you have to be healthy to play, and you have to maintain a high level of performance.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts lauded Ohtani's achievement, calling it "very, very remarkable." Roberts emphasized the difficulty of maintaining such a high level of performance consistently while staying healthy. He noted that Ohtani appears to have returned to his top form during the current series, showing strong at-bats and excellent plate discipline, capable of hitting home runs against both fastballs and breaking balls.

Regarding the National League MVP race, which reportedly includes Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong, Roberts suggested that intense competition is beneficial. "The more intense the competition, the better, because having someone chasing you will make Ohtani even stronger," Roberts stated. He believes that the challenge will motivate Ohtani to further elevate his game.

“

The more intense the competition, the better, because having someone chasing you will make Ohtani even stronger.