After six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Shohei Ohtani made the transfer to the Los Angeles Dodgers this previous offseason, signing an enormous free agent contract to maneuver throughout city. That call paid off, as Ohtani turned the primary 50/50 participant in MLB historical past, belting 54 dwelling runs and swiping 59 bases, as he took the season off from pitching on account of his elbow harm and targeted on life on the plate.
That transfer additionally noticed Ohtani attain the playoffs for the primary time in his profession, and the slugger noticed his first style of postseason motion on Saturday night time because the Dodgers hosted the San Diego Padres in Recreation 1 of the NLDS. Ohtani flew out to left in his first at-bat, within the backside of the primary inning.
His second journey to the plate, nevertheless, was classic Ohtani.
With the Dodgers trailing 3-0 within the backside of the second Ohtani got here to the dish with two outs and a pair of runners on base. With the rely in his favor 2-1, Ohtani acquired a 97-mph fastball up within the zone from Dylan Stop, and managed to show his arms on it:
Ohtani knew it was gone proper off the bat, and confirmed some emotion, tossing his bat to the aspect and screaming because the ball carried over the fence in proper discipline:
If his second at-bat within the postseason is any indication, playoff Ohtani could be simply as enjoyable — if no more — than regular-season Ohtani.