The Los Angeles Dodgers decided to hold their own home run derby on Sunday night against Boston Red Sox pitcher Kutter Crawford, clubbing five homers in the first five innings of the game.
The fifth of those home runs was hit by National League home run leader Shohei Ohtani.
It was by far the most majestic of them all, as it nearly left Dodger Stadium entirely.
Have a look.
Shohei Ohtani is the first in the NL to reach 30 home runs!
— MLB (@MLB) July 22, 2024
His fourth straight season with 30+ homers! pic.twitter.com/z07KtX2dY8
That ball nearly cleared the right field pavilion. According to fans in the area it snuck in just under the roof, hit off the concourse, and landed on a walkway behind center field.
Shohei Ohtani’s 473 foot home run flew between the roof and the Daiso sign in left center field, according the fans in the area. It then had enough velocity to surpass the concourse and land in the walkway in Centerfield Plaza. This is where it flew through and the ball. pic.twitter.com/VtY4H58nij
— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) July 22, 2024
The official tally on that from Statcast is that it flew 473 feet, but even that seems like it is underselling just how far that baseball went and how hard it was hit.
Whatever the distance is, the number that matters here is 30, as in that is already Ohtani's 30th home run of the season that has him comfortably in the National League lead.
Even without his pitching he is still playing at an MVP level for the Dodgers and is one of the most valuable players in baseball. He has been worth every penny the Dodgers paid him in free agency before this season.
Along with the league lead in home runs, he also entered Sunday with the second highest batting average in the National League behind only Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich.
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