Practice English with NewsPractice with News
Sports135 words1 min read

Ohtani Bats Leadoff as Dodgers Face Braves, Chases 31st Home Run

a baseball player holding a bat on a field
Photo by Anthony McKissic on Unsplash
0:00 / 0:00

Listen to the story

Shohei Ohtani played for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Atlanta Braves.

He batted first in the game. He was the designated hitter. This means he only hit the ball. He did not play in the field.

Ohtani wanted his 31st home run of the season. He has not hit a home run for five games.

Two other Dodgers players also played well. Their names are Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts. All three players have won the MVP award before. MVP means the best player in the league.

Pitcher Tyler Glasnow also played in this game. He started the game as pitcher. He came back from the injured list. This means he was hurt and could not play for some time.

Fans wanted to see if Ohtani could hit his 31st home run.

Vocabulary4 words

designated hitter
a player who only hits the ball; he does not play in the field
home run
when a player hits the ball very far and scores a point
MVP
Most Valuable Player; the best player
injured list
a list of players who are hurt and cannot play

Quiz

1. What position did Ohtani play in this game?
2. How many home runs was Ohtani trying to reach?
3. True or False: Tyler Glasnow just came back from the injured list.

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Shohei Ohtani played for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Atlanta _____.

He batted first in the game. He was the _____.

Ohtani wanted his _____ home run of the season.

He has not hit a home run for _____ games.

Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts have all won the _____ award before.

Tyler Glasnow started the game after coming back from the _____ list.

More Sports stories