Current:Home > MarketsShohei Ohtani gifts manager Dave Roberts toy Porsche before breaking his home run record -Wealth Evolution Experts
Shohei Ohtani gifts manager Dave Roberts toy Porsche before breaking his home run record
View
Date:2025-04-16 23:45:05
Shohei Ohtani has many more records to break over the course of his baseball career, but he may not have any more fun breaking one than he did Saturday night.
Ever since finding out that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is the team's all-time leader in homers by a Japanese-born player, Ohtani and his skipper have enjoyed a running joke as he approached Roberts' grand total of seven. (Roberts was born on a U.S. military base in Okinawa.)
After Ohtani passed Hideki Matsui on April 21 for the most homers in MLB history by a Japanese-born player with his 176th, he deadpanned that he now had his sights set on Roberts' record.
In their back-and-forth with reporters since then, Ohtani and Roberts were both asked about the possibility of the slugger giving his manager a gift to commemorate the historic occasion. Roberts suggested a new car might be appropriate.
Before Saturday's game against the Atlanta Braves − with the pair tied at seven homers apiece − Roberts got the car.
All things Dodgers: Latest Los Angeles Dodgers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.
Later that evening, Ohtani got the record.
His solo shot in the bottom of the third inning off the Braves' Bryce Elder was his eighth of the season. And the torch was officially passed.
"He said he wanted a car," Ohtani said through translator Will Ireton. "I’m glad he’s happy. He got a car."
So what was the significance of the Porsche?
In this meticulously detailed timeline from MLB.com, we're reminded that when Ohtani signed with the Dodgers, reliever Joe Kelly had Ohtani's preferred jersey No. 17.
As a thank you gift for giving up his number, Kelly and his wife Ashley received a brand new Porsche courtesy of his new teammate.
So even though no one could blame Roberts for trying, he had to settle for a miniature version instead.
"I just want to say congratulations and thank you very much," Roberts said, the toy car in his hand after the game. "This is my car. The difference is Joe’s car doesn’t fit in my office. This car fits on my desk."
veryGood! (86184)
Related
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Charlie Colin, founding member of Train, dies at 58: 'The sweetest guy'
- New York Senate passes bill to tighten legal standard Harvey Weinstein used to toss rape conviction
- Snag Up to 93% Off at Nordstrom Rack's Clear The Rack Sale: $3 Tops, $11 Jeans, $78 Designer Bags & More
- Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
- When and where you can see May's Flower Moon
- Street shooting in Harrisburg leaves 2 men dead, 3 people wounded
- Xander Schauffele, other golfers roast Scottie Scheffler after arrest at PGA Championship
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Former University of Arizona grad student found guilty of murder in campus shooting of professor
Ranking
- Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
- Veteran Kentucky lawmaker Richard Heath, who chaired a House committee, loses in Republican primary
- Are you moving? What to know to protect your belongings and have a smooth experience
- More remains identified at suspected serial killer's Indiana estate, now 13 presumed victims
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- Beyoncé only female artist to land two albums on Apple Music's 100 best albums list
- Kelly Osbourne recalls 'Fashion Police' fallout with Giuliana Rancic after Zendaya comments
- Monkeys are dropping dead from trees in Mexico as a brutal heat wave is linked to mass deaths
Recommendation
Behind on your annual reading goal? Books under 200 pages to read before 2024 ends
North Carolina House pauses passage of bill that would ban masking for health reasons
Amy Robach Shares Glimpse at 18-Year-Old Daughter Annalise Heading Off to Prom
Dwayne The Rock Johnson Looks Unrecognizable as UFC Champ Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine
Behind on your annual reading goal? Books under 200 pages to read before 2024 ends
Will Tom Brady ever become part-owner of the Raiders? Even for an icon, money talks.
'Scrubs' producer Eric Weinberg to stand trial on 28 counts of rape, sexual assault: Reports
Family still looking for answers after SC teen, unborn child found dead: Here's what we know about Maylashia Hogg