Shohei Ohtani Smacks First Dodgers Home Run Following Sluggish Start

Shohei Ohtani Hits First Home Run as a Los Angeles Dodger

After nine games of anticipation, Shohei Ohtani finally hit his first home run as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-way phenom achieved this milestone in a 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants, sending a pitch from reliever Taylor Rogers soaring 430 feet at Dodger Stadium. The ball left Ohtani’s bat at an impressive speed of 105.6 mph, as measured by Statcast.

The sound of the contact resonated differently, as is often the case with Ohtani’s powerful hits. The fan who caught the home run was later escorted from the stands, having exchanged the ball for a ball, two caps, a bat, and a meeting with Ohtani, as reported by The Athletic’s Sam Blum.

Rogers, a sidearm left-hander, rarely gives up home runs to left-handed hitters. Ohtani’s same-side homer marked only the eighth Rogers has allowed in his nine-year MLB career, with the last one occurring in 2021.

Ohtani’s home run proved crucial as it put the Dodgers ahead 5-3 against the Giants. Despite a solo shot from San Francisco’s Jorge Soler in the following inning, the Dodgers held on to win. Journeyman reliever Dinelson Lamet secured his first career save with a flawless ninth inning.

Reflecting on his achievement, Ohtani expressed relief at finally hitting his first home run and acknowledged the pressure that comes with high expectations. With this milestone, Ohtani is now just six homers away from surpassing Dave Roberts as the Japanese-born player with the most home runs in Dodgers history.