It took him until his ninth game, but on Wednesday night in Los Angeles, superstar Shohei Ohtani hit his first home run as a Dodger. The blast came in the bottom of the seventh inning against the rival Giants and lefty reliever Taylor Rogers. As you're about to see, it was not a cheap one:
THE FIRST OF MANY FOR SHOHEI OHTANI. pic.twitter.com/6x0zye1GnZ
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 4, 2024
And here's the view of Ohtani's trip around the bases:
What a Sho. pic.twitter.com/loB6f94I4Y
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 4, 2024
The pitch was a 3-1 sinker from Rogers, and Ohtani crushed it 105.6 mph off the bat and sent it 430 feet to right center. For Ohtani it was the 172nd home run of his MLB career and, as noted, his first since signing a $700 million free-agent pact with the Dodgers this past offseason. For Rogers, it was just the eighth home run he's ever allowed to a lefty hitter and the first one he's given up in a platoon-advantaged situation in the first home run he's allowed in almost three years.
Ohtani entered Wednesday's contest against San Francisco with a slash line of .242/.297/.333 for the young season, but his first home run may indeed be a sign he's about to find his customary level at the plate. That first homer as a Dodger also turned out to be an important one, as the Dodgers prevailed over the Giants 5-4. The win pushes the Dodgers' record to 7-2 for the season.
The two-way phenomenon won't pitch this season as he continues his recovery from elbow surgery, but Ohtani is expected to be a key force in the lineup as the Dodgers' regular DH. Ohtani is coming off a 2023 season for the Angels in which he hit an American League-leading 44 home runs in 135 games. Last season, he claimed his second MVP award.
