In his sixth game of his first homestand with his new team in 2024, Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani came to bat in the bottom of the seventh inning against the rival San Francisco Giants. With the Dodgers clinging to a one-run lead, Ohtani—a global superstar fresh off signing a historic $700 million contract as the missing piece for a team with its sights set on a World Series title—took the fifth pitch he saw from Giants reliever Taylor Rogers and deposited it into the right-center field bleachers. It was his first home run as a Dodger, and it proved to be the difference in a 5–4 victory.
For a player of Ohtani’s unparalleled stature, there wasn’t too much riding on that early April moment. Still, a strong first impression is always preferred over the contrary, and Ohtani passed this early test with flying colors.
