WATCH: Shohei Ohtani who? Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka shows some pop

Sure, Angels star Shoehi Ohtani can hit, but Masahiro Tanaka isn’t a slouch with the bat. Watch him crank a few shots in batting practice Thursday.

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NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani? Psh. Masahiro Tanaka can do it, too.

OK, maybe Tanaka isn’t impressive as impressive with the bat as his fellow Japanese star pitcher, but Tanaka’s got a little pop himself.

Watch Tanaka take batting practice — and hit a few ropes — from Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild before a game against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on Thursday.

Tanaka is lined up to pitch against the Nationals in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. It’s a National League ballpark, which means no designated hitter for Tanaka, who has a one hit in nine career at-bats. That came in 2014.

What we’ve learned about Yankees in historic run

Here are some pregame notes before the Yankees face the Red Sox:

The Yankees have won eight straight games, the Majors longest active winning streak…are 5-0 to start their nine-game homestand…now have
the best record in the Majors (26-10, .722)…have sole possession of first place in the AL East for the first time since the close of play on 3/30 (2-0 record, +0.5G)…marks their best 35G start since 2003 (also 26-10) and is tied for their second-best start over the last 60 seasons since 1959 (went 27-9 in 1998 and 26-10 in 1994)…improved to 11-8 vs. the AL East this season…improved to 19-3 when scoring first…was their 10th come-from-behind victory of the season…have gone ahead in their last at-bat in five of their last 8G.

Each of the Yankees’ last eight games have come against teams in sole possession or tied for first place at the start of the game (since 5/1), with the Yankees going 8-0 in those games…according to Elias, is the second-longest winning streak against solely first-place teams (sole possession or tied for first) by any club in Baseball history, trailing only the Cincinnati Reds, who won 10 such games in-a- row from 6/21-7/1/99.

Have won each of their last 11 home games (since 4/21), extending their franchise mark for the current Yankee Stadium…is their longest home winning streak since going 12-0 from 4/25-6/1/85 at the original Yankee Stadium…have outscored opponents, 78-33, during the current streak.

Improved to 3-2 against the Red Sox this season (2-0 at Yankee Stadium)…are 17-10 in their last 27 overall meetings since 9/27/16.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.