In just four months with the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani has already delivered numerous jaw-dropping homers. He saved his most impressive for his 30th blast of the season, helping the Dodgers sweep the three-game series against the Red Sox with a 9-6 win on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised Ohtani’s powerful hit, noting how far and fast the ball traveled. Red Sox pitcher Kutter Crawford’s 2-1 cutter in the fifth inning was left over the middle, and Ohtani sent it flying 473 feet, nearly clearing Dodger Stadium. This home run is the second longest at Dodger Stadium in the Statcast era, only behind Giancarlo Stanton’s 475-foot blast in 2015.
The Dodgers completed the series sweep against the Boston Red Sox behind Shohei Ohtani’s 473-foot home run, leading the Dodgers to a 9-6 victory on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.
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— Fredo Cervantes (@FredoCervantes) July 22, 2024
Ohtani expressed his hope to eventually hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium entirely. This season, he leads all players in homers over 450 feet, with seven such hits. Sunday’s blast wasn’t even his longest; he hit a 476-foot homer at Coors Field on June 18, which was the longest in the Majors until Jorge Soler surpassed it with a 478-foot homer earlier on Sunday.
Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux, who homered in back-to-back games for the first time in his career, marveled at Ohtani’s power and versatility, looking forward to seeing him pitch next year. The Dodgers’ dugout reaction underscored the impressive nature of Ohtani’s homer, with veteran Clayton Kershaw remarking he had never seen a ball hit where Ohtani’s landed.
Shohei Ohtani’s 473-foot drive leads six-homer onslaught for Dodgers in 9-6 win over Red Sox: https://t.co/aqbk6POkRh
— Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) July 22, 2024
Ohtani’s performance has been exceptional in his first season with the Dodgers, following a historic 10-year, $700 million deal. He leads the team 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. Roberts highlighted Ohtani’s enjoyment of being a Dodger and his positive impact on the team.
Key Points:
- Shohei Ohtani hit his most impressive home run of the season, helping the Dodgers sweep the Red Sox.
- His 473-foot homer is the second longest at Dodger Stadium in the Statcast era.
- Ohtani leads all players this season with seven homers over 450 feet.
- In his first season with the Dodgers, Ohtani has hit at least 30 homers for four consecutive seasons and set a Major League record for extra-base hits, runs, walks, and stolen bases in his first 100 games with a team.
- Ohtani’s performance and enjoyment of being a Dodger have had a significant positive impact on the team.
Fallon Jacobson – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
