LOS ANGELES — It took one, authoritative swing Friday evening for Shohei Ohtani to as soon as once more attain historical past and match an idol.

No Japanese-born player in Major League Baseball historical past has ever homered greater than baseball’s richest man after Ohtani walloped an out of doors fastball from San Diego Padres starter Michael King and drove it into the pavilions seating in left heart area at Dodger Stadium within the Dodgers’ 8-7 loss.

Career home run No. 175 leveled Ohtani with Hideki Matsui, the fearsome Japanese slugger for the Yankees, Angels, Athletics and Rays whom Ohtani has lengthy described as an idol.

“It’s an honor to be on the same stage as him,” Ohtani stated by way of interpreter Will Ireton. “He’s known as a power hitter. Left-handed hitter like me. It’s just an honor to be associated with somebody like that.”

For the Dodgers celebrity, it’s a continuation of a torrid stretch on the plate that has come not simply within the midst of a milestone chase that’s been well-covered by Japanese media, but in addition within the midst of a scandal involving his now-former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. Mizuhara surrendered to federal authorities on Friday after being charged for felony financial institution fraud and is being accused of stealing $16 million from Ohtani to again in depth playing money owed.

Yet, Ohtani has appeared unfazed.

“He’s very stoic,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated Friday as his new designated hitter has gotten off to a 24-for-68 (.353) begin with 4 home runs. “You just don’t know his emotions. He just comes in every day the same. You never know if things are good or things are bad, stuff on his mind. He’s just a pro. He just wants to play baseball.”

In his first recreation since Mizuhara surrendered, Ohtani took a first-pitch sinker off the plate from King earlier than unleashing his monumental swing, rocketing the ball 107.3 mph off his bat and properly into the bleachers for a brush with historical past.

The 29-year-old is one in all three Japanese-born gamers (together with Matsui and Ichiro Suzuki) to even eclipse 100 home runs as a serious leaguer. But to match Matsui — a two-time All-Star who has expressed mutual admiration for Ohtani, now a two-time MVP — brings added significance.

“I’m very flattered,” Matsui stated of Ohtani’s adoration in Japanese in ‘Shohei Ohtani: Beyond The Dream’ — a Disney+ manufacturing launched this previous winter. “Considering how far he’s come as a player and how huge his presence is in MLB, to hear Shohei Ohtani looked up to me like that when he was a Little Leaguer, I’m humbled to hear that.”

Shohei Ohtani’s response to receiving a signed ball from Hideki Matsui ❤️

Watch the documentary “Shohei Ohtani: Beyond The Dream” tonight at 9 ET on ESPN 🎬 pic.twitter.com/FAXak4xgw3

— ESPN (@espn) December 17, 2023

Matsui signed a baseball for Ohtani for the venture, joking, “I’m sure this is utterly worthless.”

“This is awesome,” Ohtani responded within the movie when given the ball, later including, “I will treasure this.”

Now he could have one other baseball to treasure.

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(Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images)