Shohei Ohtani smashes MLB’s hardest-hit ball of season with 118.7 mph residence run in Dodgers’ win vs. Nationals

Los Angeles Dodgers present designated hitter and future ace Shohei Ohtani is partly well-known for hitting residence runs and usually hitting them very arduous. True to type, Ohtani on Tuesday night time in opposition to the Nationals in D.C. launched a late homer that turned out to be the hardest-hit ball of the 2024 season to date. 

This is a glance, in gorgeous technicolor: 

Sure, that blast off a 1-0 splitter from Matt Barnes traveled 450 toes, which is spectacular sufficient. What’s much more spectacular is that it left the bat at 118.7 mph, which, as famous, makes it the hardest-hit ball of the present season. Previous to that little bit of thunder, Fernando Tatis Jr. of the Padres and Giancarlo Stanton of the Yankees shared prime honors with batted balls of 116.7 mph. 

Ohtani’s feat, in fact, deserves the “different angle” therapy: 

In accordance with the inestimable Sarah Langs, that shot by Ohtani is … 

• The toughest-hit ball by a Dodger within the Statcast ERA (i.e., since not less than 2015); 
• The toughest-hit residence run of Ohtani’s MLB profession;
• And tied for the Twelfth-hardest hit ball of the Statcast period, together with the postseason. 

Better of all for Ohtani’s higher functions, the Dodger prevailed 4-1 over the Nats. 

Ohtani, who inked a report $700 million free-agent pact with the Dodgers this previous winter, is not pitching in 2024 as he recovers from elbow surgical procedure. He’s, fairly clearly, nonetheless hitting, and, additionally fairly clearly, hitting properly. As of that Tuesday night time explosion off the bat, Ohtani in 2024 is slashing .364 AVG/.430 OBP/.612 SLG with six residence runs, together with one which, as soon as extra with feeling, left the bat at virtually 119 mph. 

Not surprisingly, Ohtani is absolutely accustomed to hitting the ball arduous. Coming into Tuesday’s recreation, Ohtani was averaging a career-best 95.0 mph off the bat, which places him within the prime 2.0% of the league. As properly, his hard-hit charge of 61% places him within the 99th percentile amongst MLB hitters.