Shohei Ohtani homered for the third straight game and went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the Los Angeles Angels' 4-3 walk-off win in 10 innings over the New York Yankees on Monday.
The two-way star extended his major league-leading home run total to 35 with a two-run shot to center that tied the game 3-3 in the seventh inning. Michael Stefanic lined a walk-off single to left field, scoring Chad Wallach from second base.
Ohtani connected on a 1-2 fastball from Michael King and gave his bat a healthy flip as he began rounding the bases at Angel Stadium. The Japanese player does not usually celebrate in such a zealous manner, and it drew a reaction from Angels manager Phil Nevin.
"The most emotion I've seen from him," Nevin said. "It was awesome. We know what he is for us and the whole league and for all of baseball worldwide. When they (superstars) step up in moments like that and have something like that happen ... it's massive."
At the center of trade rumors ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline, Ohtani, who will become a free agent at the end of this season, has homered in three straight games for the first time since he did so twice in June 2021, the year he was voted American League MVP.
He hit 46 that year and 34 last season.
In his first two at-bats of the game, Ohtani singled and doubled.