Ohtani launched a home run during pre-game batting practice (Photo by Nobuyuki Kobayashi)
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani took his third outdoor batting practice session of the season before the game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, delivering a jaw-dropping display. In 52 swings, he belted 17 balls over the fence, including a mammoth blast estimated at 160 meters.
Following similar sessions on April 1 and earlier this month, Ohtani once again showcased his power, spraying towering home runs to all fields. On his 26th swing, he crushed a ball over the right-center field wall that struck the concourse roof — a true “out-of-the-park” shot that drew gasps from the local crowd.
Through 37 games this season (including three as a two-way player), Ohtani is batting .241 with six home runs, 16 RBIs, five stolen bases, and a .792 OPS. However, he went hitless in the previous game against the Braves on Monday — his first hitless outing in four games — and has now gone 10 games and 46 plate appearances without a home run since his last long ball against the Cubs on April 26.
In eight games this month, Ohtani is hitting just .129 with a .411 OPS, the worst marks among the team’s regulars. After Monday’s game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts dismissed the idea of moving Ohtani in the lineup for now, but offered his observations on the slugger’s swing.
“I think he’s getting beaten by fastballs,” Roberts said. “Normally, he drives middle-of-the-plate pitches up the middle with authority, but now he’s a little late and coming underneath. That suggests his timing is off.” He added, “I don’t know if it’s a mechanical issue, but lately there have been a lot of routine fly balls. In his normal form, those would be doubles or home runs. When he’s not hitting for extra bases, it’s a sign he’s not in a good place. Right now, it looks like things aren’t syncing up for him.”