In a historic moment, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers has surpassed Hideki Matsui to become the all-time home run leader among Japanese-born players in Major League Baseball (MLB). Ohtani achieved this milestone during the Dodgers' dominant 10-0 victory over the New York Mets on Sunday.

During the third inning of the game, Ohtani unleashed a powerful shot off pitcher Adrian Houser, clearing the right-field fence for a two-run home run. This marked the 176th home run of Ohtani's MLB career, propelling him to the top of the list of home run leaders among players born in Japan. Matsui, known as "Godzilla," previously held the record with 175 homers during his illustrious 10-year career, primarily with the New York Yankees but also including stints with the Angels, Oakland Athletics, and Tampa Bay Rays.

Speaking through translator Will Ireton in the postgame interviews, Ohtani expressed his happiness and relief, mentioning that it had been some time since his last home run. His previous home run came on April 12 against pitcher Michael King during a game against the San Diego Padres.

In a heartwarming exchange captured in the dugout, Ohtani was seen laughing with his manager, Dave Roberts, who currently holds the record for the most home runs hit by a Japanese-born player on the Dodgers team. Roberts, who was born in Naha, Okinawa, Japan, hit seven home runs during his tenure as a Dodgers player from 2002 to 2004.

When asked about his future goals, Ohtani mentioned his desire to match the postseason success of Hideki Matsui, who was named the MVP of the 2009 World Series as a member of the Yankees. However, before that, Ohtani jokingly revealed that his immediate goal is to break his manager's record.

Roberts, acknowledging Ohtani's impressive feat, commended Matsui as a great ballplayer and home run hitter, expressing his knowledge of Ohtani's admiration for him. Roberts added, "It's a big deal for him to eclipse that mark, and I know that whatever kind of mark that's in front of Shohei, he's trying to take them all down."

Ohtani's arrival in Dodger Blue has been an exciting development for the team and fans alike. With his five home runs in just over a month, he is quickly closing in on Roberts' record. His unprecedented accomplishments continue to captivate and impress the baseball world.

As Ohtani scales new heights in his career, fans eagerly anticipate his future performances and the possibility of witnessing his talent shine on the postseason stage.