Shohei Ohtani’s Home Run Pace Fuels Dave Roberts’ Bold Dodgers Prediction

Shohei Ohtani crushed his 2024 home run pace in July, prompting Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to predict a new personal best before the season ends.

Roberts told reporters on July 13 that he expects Ohtani to **top his 44-homer 2024 season** after the two-way star already slugged 22 long balls in 60 games this year. The skipper called Ohtani’s current form “special” and said the 27-year-old’s power surge has him eyeing a career-high total.

Ohtani’s July surge-he hit .295 with 10 homers in 20 games-has revived MVP chatter after a slow April. The Dodgers’ lineup now ranks second in MLB for runs per game, and Ohtani’s slugging (.580) sits among the league’s top five. If he stays healthy, Roberts’ prediction could become reality before October.

The Dodgers resume play on July 15 with a three-game set against the San Francisco Giants. Ohtani will bat cleanup as usual, but the bigger question is whether his legs hold up-he’s already missed time with oblique tightness. Roberts insists the team won’t rush him, but the NL West race tightens with every Ohtani dinger.

Ohtani needs 23 more homers to top his 2024 total. At his current 15-game pace, he’d hit that mark by mid-August-but the grind of a 162-game season looms. The Dodgers’ schedule eases slightly after the All-Star break, giving Ohtani a window to chase history without added wear.