LOS ANGELES — In a season filled with jaw-dropping moments, Shohei Ohtani just delivered another thunderclap of greatness. With a thunderous swing in the bottom of the fifth, Ohtani launched his 29th home run of the season — a soaring fly ball to right-center that stunned even the Kansas City Royals’ outfield.
The two-way superstar’s latest blast came off a 2-1 fastball, which he crushed into the night sky at Dodger Stadium, sending the crowd into a frenzy. The ball traveled 423 feet and left the bat at 110.6 mph, according to Statcast.
“That’s just Shohei being Shohei,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said postgame. “He can change the course of a game with a single swing.”
The solo shot extended the Dodgers’ lead in what ultimately became a 5–4 thriller over the Royals, helping L.A. continue its momentum as they chase down the top seed in the National League.
This marks Ohtani’s third home run in five games and solidifies his spot atop the MLB home run leaderboard. His combination of power and poise at the plate has become appointment viewing for fans and a nightmare for pitchers across the league.
What makes the moment even more electrifying is the timing — Ohtani’s blast came just hours after MLB announced the early results of All-Star voting, where the Dodgers slugger is leading all players in total votes.
As one fan on social media put it: “Ohtani’s not human. He’s a baseball god in Dodger Blue.”