Insider claims Shohei Ohtani just hit ‘one of most impressive home runs ever'
The Los Angeles Dodgers have won their series opener against the Minnesota Twins, highlighted by a game-ending catch. This time, Dodgers All-Star Shohei Ohtani delivered a jaw-dropping home run against Twins reliever Jhoan Duran. In a moment of pure baseball brilliance, Ohtani turned on a 100-mph sinker from Minnesota's flamethrowing closer. He sent it soaring to the opposite field, and the blast shook Dodger Stadium and beyond. And lo, Ohtani is no stranger to towering blasts. MLB Network's Jon Morosi claims Shohei Ohtani's home run is one of the most impressive home runs ever he's witnessed.
The pitch was a 100-mph sinker, darting in on the hands at the outer corner. Clearly, it was the kind of pitch hitters dream of turning on, but rarely do. The location was perfect. Yet what truly elevated the moment was Ohtani's ability to go the other way, generating enough barrel strength to turn that offering into a moon shot. It wasn't just power; it was precision.
Jhoan Duran is no slouch on the mound for the Twins. In fact, he consistently works in the upper 90s with both sinkers and sliders and has baffled some of baseball's elite. Therefore, for Ohtani to take one of his best pitches and send it deep to the opposite field, on purpose, speaks volumes about his pure batting acumen. Furthermore, it underscores the fact Ohtani's the first true two-way star in modern baseball.
What makes the homer even more meaningful is context. The Dodgers were in the midst of a mid-season skid. Ohtani's bomb provided a pivotal spark, igniting a resurgence in their offense. It reminded everyone why he's the centerpiece of L.A.'s lineup. Furthermore, it marked another chapter in his 2025 journey. He now ranks near the top of the NL in home runs and OPS and has secured his spot as an All-Star for the fifth consecutive year.
Technically speaking, that swing was textbook biomechanical brilliance. He got his hips through early. He maintained bat head speed and extended fully. All the while, he countered a pitch designed to tie him up on the outer edge. The result? A high-arching, opposite-field homer that stands tall not just in the stat column, but in the pantheon of memorable Shohei Ohtani moments.
And if Shohei Ohtani keeps delivering on this level, it's not just greatness he's chasing, it's another World Series run with the Dodgers.
Related: Dodgers' Dave Roberts makes 'rock bottom' request after another implosion
Related: Dodgers' Ben Casparius exits Twins game with apparent injury
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Braves' Austin Riley returns to IL with lower abdominal strain
Another stint on the injured list seemed inevitable for Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley after he left Sunday's MLB Speedway Classic with lower abdominal pain. That was confirmed with the team announcing that Riley is back on the IL with a strained lower abdominal muscle. Riley sustained the injury during the first inning while stretching to tag out Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz at home plate. He stayed on his knees after the play, indicating that he hurt himself and left the game. The third baseman recently returned from the IL on July 25 to recover from a lower abdominal strain, so it's possible that he re-aggravated that injury while tagging out De La Cruz. Playing 102 games this season, Riley is batting .260/.309/.428 with 16 home runs, 20 doubles and 54 RBI in 447 plate appearances. To replace him on the active roster and at third base, the Braves called up Nacho Alvarez Jr. from Triple-A Gwinnett. In an earlier stint with Atlanta, Alvarez hit .200/.250/.233 in eight games. Atlanta also demoted outfielder Jarred Kelenic to Triple-A for the second time this season. Kelenic, 26, has spent most of this season in the minors, batting .218/.289/.321 with four home runs and 23 RBI with Gwinnett. With the Braves, he hit .161/.231/.300 in 65 plate appearances. The Braves are fourth in the NL East going into Monday's play at 47-63, 15.5 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies. Losing seven of its past 10 games, Atlanta is also 14 games from the NL's third wild-card playoff berth.
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Patriots to unveil Tom Brady statue this week. Here's what fans need to know
Seven-time Super Bowl Champion and three-time NFL MVP Tom Brady's playing days are finally behind him, but a statue will ensure the GOAT is always standing at Gillette Stadium. The statue will be unveiled before this Friday's preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders in a 15 to 20-minute ceremony conducted by owner Robert Kraft. The 12-foot statue will stand in the Patriot Place Plaza next to the Patiots Hall of Fame. Parking lots will open at 3:00 p.m. and gates into Gillette Stadium will open at 5:00 p.m. Although fans with tickets are allowed to watch the ceremony in the plaza, the Patriots say fans seated inside the stadium will see a video component on the video boards. The ceremony will also be live-streamed on Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to evaluate his future with Milwaukee Bucks: Report
Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Milwaukee Bucks remains uncertain, as fans continue to wait for his decision regarding the upcoming season. With all the movement going on around the NBA, ESPN's Shams Charania appeared on First Take on Monday to give an update on the 30-year-old Bucks star's status. While Antetokounmpo seems to be in no hurry to decide, the NBA insider claims that teams are on the prowl in case he becomes available on the trade market. "There are multiple teams I know of that are literally waiting right now on what decision Giannis Antetokounmpo makes," Charania said. "Waiting to see, does he actually hit the market? Training camps don't start till mid-September." "There have been examples in the past. Kyrie Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics in August when he got moved. Damian Lillard was actually traded to Milwaukee in September. So there are deals that happen late in summer." [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Milwaukee bested the Phoenix Suns to win just the second title in franchise history in 2021, but has struggled to follow up on the championship campaign. The Bucks fell to the Celtics in the second round in 2022. Since then, they have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in each of the past three years. Rumors about the uncertainty of Antetokounmpo's future in Cream City escalated this past season following their early elimination against Indiana. Additionally, the Bucks waived point guard Damian Lillard after two seasons while he deals with an Achilles tear that he sustained against the Pacers in late April. Since then, Lillard signed a three-year deal to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, where he played for the first 11 years of his career. Charania noted that a big factor in Antetokounmpo remaining with the Bucks is the likelihood of winning a second title with the team. "There is nothing set in stone about whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo stays in Milwaukee or whether he wants to leave elsewhere," Charania shared. "He's been evaluating his future this entire offseason. I reported way back in mid-May that he is open-minded about whether his best fit is in Milwaukee or in a trade. That process has been continuing. There's been some conversations he's having with his inner circle. "The one big question that's been surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo, surrounding his camp, is can he win another championship? Is this Bucks roster built for this upcoming season, for him to win his second championship?" With teams being linked to him, Antetokounmpo recently proclaimed his love for Milwaukee in an interview with internet personality iShowSpeed (real name Darren Watskin Jr.). "A lot of people are trying to convince me to play there," Antetokounmpo told Watkins when asked about moving teams. Watkins then asked if he plans to stay in Milwaukee, to which he replied, "Probably." "We'll see, probably. I love Milwaukee," he continued. Antetokounmpo has been in Milwaukee since the Bucks selected him with the 15th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Upon his arrival, the Bucks nurtured him to become a nine-time All-Star, two-time league MVP and franchise player. With suspense surrounding his time with the Bucks, Antetokounmpo remains on his three-year deal, which he signed in 2023. His $186 million contract was meant to keep Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee through the duration of Lillard's deal before his abrupt dismissal. The current deal includes a player option for the 2027-28 season, per Spotrac. Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game this past season as the Bucks finished fifth in the East with a 48-34 record.
