Provided by OSEN | 2024.03.21 13:40
[OSEN=고척돔, 한용섭 기자] Shohei Otani (LA Dodgers) made his Dodgers debut with a hot multiple hit in the opener. He showed great ability in terms of batting speed.
The LA Dodgers and San Diego Padres played the opening game of the 2024 Major League season at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 20th. This is the first time a major league regular season game has been held in Korea.
Ohtani, who started as the designated hitter #2, led the Dodgers to a 5-2 victory with 2 hits in 5 at-bats, 1 RBI, and 1 stolen base. He hit a timely hit with 1 RBI to secure the win in the 8th inning.
During his six seasons with the LA Angels, Ohtani’s overall opening day performance was a .122 batting average (3 hits in 25 at-bats), 1 RBI, and 8 strikeouts. He recorded a number of hits for the first time in his first start in a Dodgers uniform.
Ohtani faced Japanese pitcher Darvish for the first time in his career in the first inning. With no outs on first, Ohtani hit the first pitch (94 mph) and then fouled out the second pitch (91 mph). He hit a 91.1 mph cutter with 1 ball and 1 strike, but ended up being a grounder for the shortstop. First base runner Betts was thrown out to second, and Ohtani advanced to first.
In his second at-bat in the third inning, Ohtani twice prompted gasps from the crowd. After two outs, Ohtani hit a 91.6 mile (47.4 km) cutter on the third pitch with one ball and one strike, a foul home run that veered past the top of the right field pole. A cheer of wow erupted from the audience. As Ohtani’s batted ball flew into the outfield, his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, who was cheering Ohtani on from the first base stands, was captured on the broadcast screen cheering with a smile.
The bat swung suddenly at the ball which was close to his body, and the batted ball flew in a parabola near the right pole. It was a huge foul home run that flew into the top of a large advertising placard on the wall behind the pole.
According to ESPN, the foul home run’s exit velocity was 119.2 mph (191.8 km). That’s an incredible exit velocity. Ohtani’s fastest exit velocity to date is 119.1 mph. It was a ball hit 0.1 miles faster. Since foul hits were not recorded in the past, this cannot be said to be Ohtani’s highest exit velocity of all time, but it was a bullet shot that surpassed Ohtani’s highest exit velocity for hits in a game (hits, mas) (119.1 miles per hour) ).
After hitting a huge dirty home run, Ohtani hit Darvish’s 94.7 mph sinker on the fifth pitch with 2 balls and 2 strikes to right field. It was his first hit against Darvish and his first regular season hit in a Dodgers uniform.
Ohtani managed to steal 1st and 2nd bases, creating an opportunity for 2 outs and 2nd base. After that, the bases were loaded with two outs due to consecutive walks, but Max Muncy was unable to capitalize on the scoring opportunity due to a missed swing and a strikeout.
Trailing 1-2 in the 5th inning, Betts reached base with a groundout. With no outs at first base, Ohtani hit a ground ball toward the shortstop. Third baseman Wade, who moved to the shift, caught him with a diving catch, and threw it to Kim Ha-seong, who was on second base, for a force out, with one out and a runner on first base. Ohtani was out in the 7th inning due to the pitcher’s ground ball due to a missed ball.
The Dodgers were down 1-2 in the 8th inning when Muncy, the leadoff hitter, got on base with a walk. The Dodgers then got the bases loaded with no outs against San Diego pitcher Johnny Brito thanks to a hit by Teoscar Hernández and a walk by James Outman. Kike Hernández’s sacrifice fly to left field tied the score at 2-2.
Gavin Lux’s ground ball toward first base fell into the outfield when the webbing broke on first baseman Cronenworth’s glove. It was recorded as an error, and the Dodgers turned the tables when the runner on second base scored. With one out and runners on first and second, Betts hit a timely shot to left to make it 4-2. Ohtani then hit a timely shot to left-center, scoring a key RBI to make it 5-2.
Ohtani recorded a .500 batting average (11 hits in 22 at-bats), 2 home runs, 9 RBI, 5 runs, and an OPS of 1.486 in 8 games in major league exhibition games. However, in two special games after entering Korea, he went quiet with no hits in five at-bats and two strikeouts.
In the game against Kiwoom on the 17th, he went 0-hit in 2 at-bats and struck out 2. Kiwoom’s starting pitcher, Hoora, lost both of his at-bats due to missed swings and hits. Ohtani, who struck out on a 91.8 mph (147.7 km) sinker in his first at-bat in the first inning, struck out a four-game 91.2 mph (146.8 km) fastball in the second inning with one out and runners on first and third base.
In the game against Team Korea on the 18th, he was out for a foul fly, an outside fly ball, and an infield ground ball. In the first inning, with no outs on second base, he swung his bat to right-hander Kwak Bin’s 134km changeup on the fourth pitch, but the third baseman was out for a foul fly.
In the third inning, Ohtani hit an 89.8 mph (145 km) sinker to left-hander Lee Ui-ri’s second pitch with no outs at first base, but was out due to a fly ball to left field. In the 5th inning, Ohtani hit an 82 mph slider on the first pitch against left-hander Oh Won-seok with 2 outs and 1st base, but it was backed up by a grounder out by the 2nd baseman who moved to 1st.
However, he regained his form by hitting a number of hits at once in the opening game. After the game, Ohtani said, “During the friendly, my body was a little stiff, so I felt a little out of place in my batting stance. I think my area was a little off because of that. I took care of my body yesterday, reset, and rested, so today is good. I will recover again tomorrow and focus. “I want to do it,” he said.
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[저작권자 @머니투데이, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]
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