Halfway through his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani looks quite comfortable with his new surroundings.
The Japanese slugger has been a sweet-swinging Hollywood blockbuster so far.
The Dodgers are on top of the NL West with a 50-31 record, and Ohtani has played a major role in their strong start. The two-time AL MVP is batting a career-high .320 with 24 homers, 60 RBIs and a 1.032 OPS in 78 games.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really about getting to know the guys,鈥� Ohtani said Tuesday night through an interpreter. 鈥淵ou know I had my first impression, but really getting to know who the people are and the organization.
鈥淎s I stated before, I decided to sign with this team and wanted to do the best that I can to fit in. So I think overall, looking back, it鈥檚 been a really good first half.鈥�
Ohtani, who turns 30 on July 5, agreed to a record-shattering in December. The two-way sensation isn鈥檛 pitching this year while he recovers from , and it looks as if putting more of his focus on hitting is helping him at the plate.
鈥淭he reality is the workload has been a lot less,鈥� Ohtani said. 鈥淪o I can鈥檛 deny that. But at the same time, as a hitter, I鈥檝e been getting better and overall I think I鈥檝e been growing as a hitter, too.鈥�
Ohtani hit a leadoff homer during Tuesday night鈥檚 over the Chicago White Sox, extending his RBI streak to a career-high nine consecutive games 鈥� matching a franchise record. He walked and scored in the third inning, and then hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the fourth.
Ohtani moved into the leadoff spot after Mookie Betts by a broken left hand. He is batting .419 (13 for 31) with five homers and 14 RBIs in eight games since Betts got hurt.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what more we can really say about him,鈥� Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman said. 鈥淚 think we鈥檝e said everything we can since he entered this league, about what an amazing player he is. But when you come over here, you just never know how first year鈥檚 going to go on any team.
鈥淪ometimes you just got to step back and just appreciate a player like this.鈥�
Ohtani drove a hanging curveball from Chris Flexen into the visitor鈥檚 bullpen in right-center for his . White Sox right fielder Tommy Pham tried to make a leaping grab on the play, but was unable to bring it in.
Ohtani got so caught up in tracking the ball that he carried his bat as he jogged up the line. After discarding his lumber, he went back to touch first base because he was concerned that he missed the bag the first time around.
鈥淛ust wasn鈥檛 quite sure that I stepped on the bag,鈥� he said.
It was Ohtani鈥檚 second leadoff homer of the season and No. 8 for his career. He is the first player to drive in at least one run in nine consecutive games for the Dodgers since Hall of Fame catcher Roy Campanella in 1955.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani is being more selective at the plate, and it鈥檚 paying off.
鈥淲hen you do that, you earn pitches in the strike zone, and when he does that, a lot of special things happen,鈥� Roberts said.
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