Game Notes – 09/02/2025

A year ago, Shohei Ohtani flirted with the exceptional achievement of clocking triple digits in extra-base hits, a feat that’s been managed only 15 times in this National Pastime’s history.  Ultimately falling one shy of the century mark, Ohtani had to settle instead for a belt that was stitched with the proclamation of “I Led The Majors in Extra-Base Hits in 2024.”  The three-time MVP is at it again in 2025, not striding at the same pace as last year but displaying his superiority again, currently tied for the Major League lead with 73. It’s been a while since the game has seen a batter walk away from two straight campaigns with the title in this category – a rewind that goes back to the early part of this century, when the one-and-only Albert Pujols paced the big leagues with 95 in 2003 and an oh-so-close 99 in 2004.  

Shohei Ohtani doubled twice and added a home run, giving him 73 extra-base hits this year.  The 31-year-old has had at least 70 in every season since 2021, a stretch which duplicates the longest ever for a DH.

Most Consecutive Seasons With 70+ Extra-Base Hits, 50+% Games at DH 

5    David Ortiz (2003-2007)

5    Shohei Ohtani (2021-2025)

3    Travis Hafner (2004-2006)

~Just for kicks, here are the top accumulated extra-base hit tallies for any player ever from their age-26 through age-30 seasons (corresponding to Ohtani’s work from 2021-2025):

451    Todd Helton (2000-2004)

439    Lou Gehrig (1929-1933)

418    Albert Belle (1993-1997)

416    Babe Ruth (1921-1925)

410    Albert Pujols (2006-2010)

405    Stan Musial (1947-1951)

405    Duke Snider (1953-1957)

405    Alfonso Soriano (2002-2006)

404    Ken Griffey, Jr. (1996-2000)

404    Carlos Delgado (1998-2002)

400    Shohei Ohtani (2021-2025)

Pete Alonso cranked a pair of home runs to propel a Mets victory and raise his career tally to 259 longballs.  There are two players in history who hit more through their own first seven years:  Ralph Kiner (294) and Albert Pujols (282).  

~This latest exhibition served as Alonso’s 26th career multi-homer game.  In this instance, seven players produced more through their first 985 career contests.  Here’s the snapshot:

Most Multi-HR Lines, First 985 Games Played

39    Aaron Judge

34    Ralph Kiner

28    Gus Zernial, Juan González, Giancarlo Stanton

27    Carlos Delgado, Ryan Howard

26    Hank Greenberg, Bob Horner, Mark McGwire, Albert Belle, Khris Davis, Pete Alonso

Nolan McLean (6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R) improved to 4-0 in four career starts.  The Mets’ right-hander is the 16th pitcher in the Liveball Era to open his career with four starts and four victories – by ERA, he ties for the fourth lowest mark, matched with Jered Weaver (2006).  The trio ahead of this duo:

Dave Ferriss with a 0.50 in 1945

Don Schwall with a 1.29 in 1961

Dave Hamilton with a 1.30 in 1972

George Springer’s 29th career multi-homer game helped drive the Blue Jays to a victory and further cemented Springer’s historic prowess as a potent leadoff hitter.  The first of his two in this contest – leading off the first – was his 62nd to open a game, closing the distance between his second-highest total and Rickey Henderson’s top tally to 19.  With his second bash of the night, Toronto’s DH closed the gap between him and Mookie Betts for the most multi-homer efforts when batting leadoff, 24 to 26.  

In a Rays-Mariners tilt, home run history emerged as a big topic.  

~Junior Caminero hit his 40th home run of the year (and later added his 100th RBI of the season) – the milestone longball placing him in the company of three others who reached the mighty number in an age-21 or younger season.  In his age-21 campaign in 1953, Eddie Mathews posted 47 (and drove in 135); Mel Ott hit 42 (with 151 RBI) in his age-20 season in 1929; and Ronald Acuña, Jr. clobbered 41 (with 101 RBI) in his age-21 season in 2019.  

~Cal Raleigh connected on his 51st round-tripper of the campaign, this one coming while handling duties behind the plate.  Thus, he’s now at 41 as a catcher, one shy of matching Javy López (2003) for the most in history.  That positional pivot aside, Raleigh’s 51 tie for the 40th most ever, matching the Mariners’ All-Star with Johnny Mize and Ralph Kiner in 1947, Willie Mays in 1955, Cecil Fielder in 1990 and Andruw Jones in 2005.  

Yankees southpaw Max Fried allowed a run in seven innings to lift his win tally to 15 and drop his ERA to 2.98.  The franchise has seen 24 left-handers conclude a campaign with at least 15 wins and a sub-3.00 ERA, with the most recent being Andy Pettitte in 1997 (18-7, 2.88 ERA).   There are six other franchises with the claim of at least 20 of these seasons since 1903.  All seven clubs are listed below, with the most recent compiler in parentheses.

34   Dodgers (Tyler Anderson and Julio Urías in 2022)

32   White Sox (Wilson Álvarez in 1993)

28   Athletics (Barry Zito in 2002)

27   Giants (Madison Bumgarner in 2016)

26   Braves (Chris Sale in 2024)

24   Yankees (Andy Pettitte in 1997)

22   Reds (Danny Jackson in 1988)

Trent Grisham went deep with the bases loaded for his third grand slam of the season.  The three are the most for the Yankees in a year since Nick Swisher had three in 2012; no Yankee has produced more than three in a season since Don Mattingly set the Major League record with six in 1987.  

Jazz Chisholm, Jr. homered twice, his fourth multi-homer game of the year.  The four tie the 27-year-old with Joe Gordon in 1939 and Alfonso Soriano in 2002 for the most in any season for a Yankees second baseman.  Chase Utley’s seven for the 2006 Phillies are the most across the Majors.   

Rafael Devers hit his 30th home run of the year to raise his career number of extra-base hits to 527.  For all players through an age-28 season, Devers’ number slots in as the 29th most, between Adrian Beltré’s 534 and Rubén Sierra’s 525.  

Colorado’s Hunter Goodman hit his 27th home run of the year, leaving him one behind Wilin Rosario (28 in 2012) for the most ever for a Rockies catcher.

Angels DH Jo Adell connected on his 32nd home run of the year while maintaining his walk tally for the season at 29.  The 26-year-old is one of three players this season with at least 30 bombs and more home runs than walks, along with Junior Caminero and Eugenio Suárez.  The most any season has produced is four, coming in 1987, 1996 and 2000.  Some fun names emerge from these years:

1987:  George Bell, Joe Carter*, Andre Dawson, Cory Snyder*

1996:  Vinny Castilla**, Andrés Galarraga**, Juan González, Sammy Sosa

2000:  Garret Anderson, Tony Batista***, Brad Fullmer***, Geoff Jenkins

*Teammates on the Indians

** Teammates on the Rockies

***Teammates on the Blue Jays

Thanks to Baseball Reference and its extraordinary research database, Stathead, for help in assembling this piece.