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LOS ANGELES — In an impressive display at Dodger Stadium, Shohei Ohtani hit his 30th home run of the season, sending the ball soaring 473 feet past the bleachers. The massive homer came off a pitch from Boston Red Sox’s Kutter Crawford during the fifth inning of Sunday’s matchup.
Ohtani’s towering drive was a highlight in a game that saw the Dodgers rack up a total of six home runs, propelling them to a 9-6 win over the Red Sox.
When asked about the homer, Ohtani, speaking through an interpreter, confirmed the shot was as good as it looked, although he admitted to losing sight of the ball, noting that the crowd was quite impressed.
The homer followed a solo shot by Austin Barnes and marked the seventh occurrence this season that the Dodgers have hit back-to-back homers, with Ohtani being a part of four such instances.
Responding to whether he’d seen a longer home run before, Crawford acknowledged the prowess of the Dodgers, admitting to some costly pitches that were well-utilized by the hitters.
While Ohtani fell just short of becoming the second Dodgers player to hit a ball completely out of Dodger Stadium, a feat achieved by Mike Piazza in 1997 and others like Willie Stargell and Fernando Tatís Jr., he expressed determination to join that exclusive group.
With this homer, which ties for the third longest in the majors this season as per MLB Statcast, Ohtani has now blasted seven of his 30 homers at least 450 feet, showcasing his remarkable power. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised Ohtani’s consistent ability to deliver awe-inspiring plays.
Ohtani also stands out as the first National League player to hit 30 homers this season, adding another milestone to his already stellar season, during which he keeps fascinating fans and teammates alike with his sheer skill and passion for the game.