In just four months with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani has already delivered his share of jaw-dropping home runs. However, his 30th blast of the season, which came during the Dodgers’ 9-6 win against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, might be his most impressive yet.
“He just never ceases to amaze,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “You look at how far that ball went and how hot it came off the bat; it’s just hard to fathom someone hitting a baseball like that. He did say he got all of it. That’s just where people don’t go. Just really impressive.”
In the fifth inning, Red Sox right-hander Kutter Crawford left a 2-1 cutter over the middle of the plate, and Ohtani made him pay. The moment the ball left his bat, it was clear it was a home run. The only question was whether it would clear Dodger Stadium. Ohtani’s 473-foot blast completely cleared the right-center pavilion, nearly exiting the park entirely. This home run ranks as the second longest at Dodger Stadium in the Statcast era, just behind Giancarlo Stanton’s 475-foot blast in 2015.
“That’s what I hope,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton, when asked if he wants to hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium at some point in his career. “I think I’m going to have a lot more opportunities to do so. So definitely looking forward to one of those.”
Ohtani now has seven homers of 450-plus feet this season, the most by any player in the Majors, and three more than any other Dodger in a single season since 2015. He owns three of the five longest homers at Dodger Stadium in the Statcast era.
“Nothing surprises me anymore with him,” said Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux. “It sounded like a shotgun off his bat. He’s a special player. All around, all sides of the ball. I’m looking forward to seeing him pitch next year too. Yeah, he’s special.”
The Dodgers have grown accustomed to Ohtani’s moonshots, but Sunday’s homer left even the most seasoned players and fans in awe. Clayton Kershaw, during his in-game interview on ESPN, remarked that he had never seen a ball hit where Ohtani’s landed.
“I was starting to sit down, thinking about the next inning, and then boom,” said Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes. “Shohei is unbelievable. I usually don’t miss any of his at-bats because it’s fun to watch. … He’s a freak. I’ve never seen someone like him.”
In his first season with the Dodgers, after signing a historic 10-year, $700 million deal this offseason, Ohtani has been even better than advertised. He leads the Dodgers in nearly every major hitting category and has hit at least 30 homers in four consecutive seasons.
On Sunday, Ohtani became the first player in Major League history to record at least 50 extra-base hits, 75 runs, 50 walks, and 20 stolen bases in his first 100 games with a team.
“I’m happy he’s wearing a Dodger uniform,” Roberts said. “For me, the main thing I see from Shohei is he’s really enjoying being a Dodger, enjoying his teammates, enjoying the fan base, and he’s having fun.”
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