The 2024 Topps Series 2 arrived in mid-June. I always buy some hobby packs or jumbo packs of the Topps Series 2. A few weeks ago, I went to a sports card shop that I haven’t been to for a while and saw hobby packs of the series 2 available. I decided to get some hobby packs.
I would like to find some cool rookie cards in this set. Nonetheless, after opening the second hobby pack, I found an interesting card. It’s a Shohei Ohtani 1989 Topps Baseball insert. It’s an interesting card for me because on the front, it clearly shows that Ohtani is in the Dodgers uniform.
While seeing this card, I began to think about Ohtani’s performances in Los Angeles. In particular, does he hit much better with the Dodgers than he did with the Angels? Ohtani and the Dodgers agreed to a 10-year deal last December. By far this season, he slashes .314/.398/.627 with 28 home runs and 66 RBI over 91 games. Ohtani’s numbers in the first half of the 2024 season look very good in his first year with the Dodgers.
But now, let’s look at his numbers in his first season in the majors. In 2018, Ohtani slashed .283/.365/.522 with 7 home runs and 22 RBI over 45 games as a batter. Ohtani finished his first half season in the majors with an OPS over .800, which is pretty good. Now, let’s look at the numbers in the first half of the 2021 season. Ohtani won the first AL MVP award in 2021. In the first half of the great season, he hit .279/.364/.698 with 33 home runs and 70 RBI over 84 games. Yes, Ohtani crushed 30+ home runs in the first half of the 2021 season and his OPS was over 1.000.
In 2018, Ohtani finished the season with an OPS over .900 and he blasted 22 home runs. His performance after the All-Star break was great and he had an OPS over .900. Additionally, in 2021, he played 158 games, slashing .257/.372/.592 with 46 home runs and 100 RBI. He finished the 2021 season with an OPS over .900. Nonetheless, after the All-Star break, he didn’t blast as many home runs as he did in the first half of the 2021 season.
In Ohtani’s first season in the majors, as a batter, he did hit better in the second half of the season than he did before the All-Star break. In 2021, Ohtani had a great start and blasted 30+ home runs before the All-Star break. He was able to collect 100 RBI in the 2021 season, nevertheless, he didn’t hit that well in the second half of the 2021 season. Ohatni’s performance with the Dodgers looks good thus far in the 2024 season. He already blasted 20+ homers and collected 60+ RBI. Without Mookie Betts in the Dodgers lineup, Ohtani will play an even more important role in the second half of the season. After the All-Star break, it will be worthwhile to see if Ohtani will still hit well. In particular, it will be important for him to avoid the same second half season as it was in 2021.
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