Shohei Ohtani inched closer to becoming the first 50-50 player in MLB history by hitting his National League-leading 46th home run in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 4-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday.
Ohtani extended the Dodgers’ lead in the fifth inning with a mammoth 450-foot solo shot off Tanner Bibee that soared down the right-field line. It had an exit velocity of 116.7 mph, which tied Fernando Tatis Jr. for the 11th-hardest hit ball of the season.
Ohtani’s blast was so impressive that umpires needed to review it to confirm the ball stayed fair.
“I’ve been here a while, but Kersh has been here almost double the amount of time I have, and even he said he’s never seen a ball go to that spot in the stadium,” Max Muncy said after the game.
“That was pretty cool to watch from the dugout. It was a great view. We were just curious why it was taking so long to look at the replay. Maybe the guys in New York were admiring it as much as we were.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was also amazed by Ohtani’s moonshot of a home run.
“You just don’t see guys hitting the ball that far and as hard as he hits it. He’s just locked in. … I’ve never seen anyone hit it that far,” Roberts said.
Ohtani’s home run was his 22nd of at least 450 feet since 2021, five more than any other player in that span. He now has 12 home runs this season of at least 440 feet, which is tied with Joc Pederson for the most by any Dodgers player in the Statcast era (since 2015).
Ohtani also tied his single-season career high with 46 homers and is now four away from setting the Dodgers franchise record. Shawn Green currently holds the mark with 49 home runs hit during the 2001 season.
Shohei Ohtani partnerships
As Ohtani closes in on MLB history, he recently signed deals with Topps and Beats by Dre.
His partnership with Topps includes autographs, game-used memorabilia and cards focused on moments and achievements, as well as U.S.- and Japan-based products.
Ohtani’s sponsorship deal with Beats will see him appear in marketing campaigns that spotlight the brand’s dynamic lineup of products.
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