This is superstar Ohtani! First at-bat in the exhibition game, solo shot to the left, beat Kikuchi, a high school senior from his home
Mar 01, 2025
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LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani, who won the National League MVP last year by achieving 50 home runs and 50 steals for the first time in history, hit a home run in his first at-bat in an exhibition game. The initial prediction that the aftereffects of shoulder surgery last offseason would not at least affect the hit was correct.
Ohtani played as a leadoff designated hitter in the home game against the Los Angeles Angels at Glendale Camelback Ranch in Arizona on the 1st (Korea time) and recorded 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 run and 1 strikeout in 3 at-bats, including a home run.
The home run came in the first at-bat. The Angels, whose opponent was 'Friendly', and the starting pitcher was left-hander Yusei Kikuchi. Kikuchi, who signed a three-year, $63.68 million FA contract at the end of November last year and moved to the Angels, is a three-year senior alumnus of Hisashi Hanamaki High School in Iwate Prefecture, Ohtani and Japan.
The game was a close game. At the ball count 1B2S, Ohtani drove to the full count, picking a 81.2 mile curve wide outside Kikuchi's fourth pitch and a 95.4 mile fastball outside the fifth pitch. Then, when a 93.9-mile fastball flew into the high strike zone outside the sixth pitch, he lightly pushed it and connected it with a solo home run that went well over the left fence. It was a home run that fell into the bullpen behind the fence in the left area at the left-center point with 380 feet written on it.
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Ohtani will resume his pitching and hitting career this season. Ohtani, who received Tommy John Surgery in his right elbow in September 2023 and devoted himself to rehabilitation as a pitcher last year, had surgery on November 6 after injuring his left shoulder while stealing second base in the seventh inning in the second game of the World Series in October last year. He said there would be no problem in the exhibition game and the season opener because the surgical site is behind the left shoulder that does not significantly affect the batting. Since he hit a home run in his first at-bat, his appearance in the opening series against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome on March 18-19 will proceed as scheduled.
However, due to shoulder surgery, he delayed his return as a pitcher by one to two months. He could have started the Tokyo Series if his shoulder had not been injured, but his first appearance of the season has been postponed since May. For now, mid-May seems likely.
Following Ohtani's first home run, the Dodgers took a 2-0 lead with back-to-back hits by Mookie Betts and Tommy Edman and a sacrifice fly by Max Muncy.
Ohtani was out with a bummer in his second at-bat after two outs in the second inning, trailing 2-4. This time, Kikuchi won. He hit the 81.3-mile curve on the third pitch at 1B1S, but was caught by shortstop Tim Anderson as he floated high into the infield.
Then, in the fifth inning, trailing 3-4, he left as the leadoff hitter and struck out. At ball count 2B2S, he misled the bat to a 96.3-mile body sinker on the fifth pitch of opposing right-hander Chase Siles. Ohtani was replaced by pinch hitter Dalton Rushing after two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning when the score was 4-4.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
