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Major Shohei Ohtani Announcement Made on Monday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated May 26, 2025 8:49 PM ET

There isn’t a global sports phenomenon quite like Shohei Ohtani right now, and baseball fans got a welcome sight on Sunday before Sunday Night Baseball—he was spotted on the mound ramping up his pitching after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2023.

While he’s still not expected to pitch for a few more months as the Dodgers continue to be cautious with their superstar, he remains a force at the plate. After leading off Sunday’s game against the New York Mets with a home run, he did the exact same thing Monday night against the Cleveland Guardians.

That home run marked his 19th of the season, putting him at the top of the MLB leaderboard and pushing him past Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

Following the homer, more history was made regarding Ohtani’s performance in a Dodgers uniform during his second season with the team.

According to writer Blake Harris, Ohtani has now tied Cody Bellinger (2019) and Gil Hodges (1951) for the most home runs through 52 games in Dodgers history. The only player ahead of him is Bellinger, who had 22 homers in that span back in 2017.

Most HR through first 52 games of a season in Dodgers franchise history

22 - Cody Bellinger (2017)
19 - Cody Bellinger (2019) Gil Hodges (1951) Shohei Ohtani (2025) pic.twitter.com/d25MFPhVYR
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) May 26, 2025

Regardless of whether Ohtani is on the mound or in the batter’s box, his impact is undeniable. Since joining the Dodgers in 2024, he’s lived up to every bit of the hype, helping lead the team to a World Series title—the first of his career.

Heading into Monday night’s game, Ohtani was slashing .295/.638/1.025 with 32 RBIs, a number that has since grown following his first-inning blast.

Now in his eighth MLB season, Ohtani has already built a resume most players can only dream of: three-time MVP, four-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger, and the 2018 American League Rookie of the Year after arriving from Japan and joining the Los Angeles Angels.

He signed a massive long-term deal with the Dodgers in December 2023, agreeing to an 11-year, $700 million contract—and he continues to defy the monumental expectations that came with it.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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