Shohei Ohtani Homers for First Time in Dodgers Uniform Against White Sox

A new era of baseball in Los Angeles began in emphatic fashion Tuesday.

He’s back.

Down 4–1 in the fifth inning of their Tuesday afternoon spring training tilt against the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers got a glimpse of their present and future.

With a full count against White Sox pitcher Dominic Leone, Shohei Ohtani pounded the ball over Camelback Ranch’s left-center field fence to score center fielder Jose Ramos and trim Chicago’s lead to 4–3.

The round-tripper marked Ohtani’s first in a Dodgers uniform in exhibition play. The Japanese superstar had opened 1-for-2 with a strikeout before going yard.

Here’s a video of the home run, a potential sign of things to come.

Shohei Ohtani homers in his @Dodgers #SpringTraining debut. 💥💥 pic.twitter.com/o6vMUHKUR4

— MLB (@MLB) February 27, 2024

Ohtani, who inked a 10-year, $700 million contract with Los Angeles in the offseason, has 171 career home runs to his name with the crosstown Los Angeles Angels. Given his numbers in recent seasons, joining the 200 club does not seem out of the question in 2024.

With the Angels, Ohtani won a pair of MVP awards and established himself as the nerve center of an increasingly global game. If he keeps both those accomplishments up… watch out.