SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - MARCH 20: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after the 3rd inning during the 2024 Seoul Series game between Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres at Gocheok Sky Dome on March 20, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani smashed the fifth-longest home run in the 62-year Dodger Stadium history Sunday night, a 473-foot moon shot as L.A. swept the Boston Red Sox in their first series back from the All-Star Break.
When Ohtani entered the league six years ago, he became a global sensation as the first two-way star in the MLB since Babe Ruth. However, he underwent his second Tommy John surgery last off-season, forcing him to only hit in 2024.
He has not missed a beat.
The long ball on Sunday marked his 30th of the season, second in the MLB behind New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge. Along with his ability to hit for power, the Japanese star ranks third in batting average, hitting .313, seventh in RBIs with 70 and second in OPS at 1.033. He earned these numbers most impressively while hitting lead-off since former MVP Mookie Betts went down with a broken wrist a month ago.
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Ohtani’s stellar week began in Texas, where he hit a three-run blast in the All-Star game off another Red Sox pitcher, Tanner Houck, to give the National League an early 3-0 lead. The American League scored five unanswered runs, winning the mid-summer classic 5-3.
Ohtan’s serge comes at the perfect time for a Dodger team gearing up for the stretch run. Dave Roberts’ team stumbled into the break, losing five of their last six, including getting swept by the N.L. leading Philadelphia Phillies. However, after the in-season pause, they responded, winning four in a row by defeating their rival San Francisco Giants at home on Monday. Along with their fortune on the field, the Dodgers are beginning to get healthy again. Pitcher Clayton Kershaw makes his season debut on Thursday after missing the first half of the year with a back injury, while fellow starter Tyler Glasnow will start Wednesday after being out since early July.
They currently lead the N.L. West by 8.5 games but are 3.5 games behind the Phillies.
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