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Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani has fans going wild after first 2026 home run
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- Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani has fans going wild after first 2026 home run
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani has fans going wild after first 2026 home run appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani collected abundant praise after pitching six scoreless innings versus the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday, but he had yet to make a huge impact with the bat. Despite drawing seven walks in his first six games, the four-time MVP came into Friday afternoon's matchup against the Washington Nationals with a .167 batting average, .167 slugging percentage and no home runs. It did not take long for those numbers to spike.
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With the Dodgers trailing 3-0 in the top of the third inning, Ohtani crushed a game-tying 401-foot bomb off two-time All-Star and veteran right-hander Miles Mikolas . When a hitting savant sees the ball go over the fence after a slow start offensively, a power surge can often ensue. Fans were not worried about the 6-foot-4 left-handed batter, but they still had a big reaction to his first official homer of 2026.
"1 down, 56 more to go," @Tware1k proclaimed on X . "FINALLY! Not bad to have your first extra base hit of the season be a HR," @WinEdgeX commented . "HESSSS BACK," @Curlytoes02 remarked . "IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO BE ALIVE," @dodgerblued celebrated .
The stars aligned for Ohtani in Nationals Park. Mikolas, who made waves in LA for his infamous "checkbook baseball" and "Midwestern farmers" soundbite in 2024, entered the day with a 7.20 ERA. He has been in sharp decline for a few years now, so it should not be surprising to see him deliver a weak changeup to one of the most prolific sluggers in the game today. The 37-year-old proceeded to give up 11 earned runs to the two-time defending World Series champions before exiting in the fifth.
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Shohei Ohtani does not need a friendly matchup to succeed, however. Now that he has recorded his first home run of the season, the baseball world will expect the geyser to erupt. The Dodgers lead 12-4 at time of print.
Related: Mookie Betts drops truth bomb on Dodgers' 13-run outburst vs. Nationals
Related: Watch Kyle Tucker smash his first home run with Dodgers vs. Nationals
