Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Opens Up on Awkward Baserunning Moment

Shohei Ohtani blasted a leadoff home run Tuesday and Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. Tuesday, as he watched the ball fly, Ohtani carried his bat with him until he knew the ball was certainly gone. The bat didn’t leave his hands until a few feet past first base.

Immediately afterward, the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ designated hitter had to double-check that he touched first base. After getting more than halfway to second base, he went back and touched the bag, “just to be safe,” Ohtani said.

It was an unusual adventure for a player with 196 home runs in his career.

“I was just kind of looking at the ball, hoping that it was gonna go out,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “I didn’t realize I had the bat with me, so I dropped it. That’s where [first-base coach] Clayton [McCullough] came in. And so that’s why I dropped the bat and just wasn’t quite sure if I stepped on the bag.”

Ohtani played off the comical moment and continued to do his thing Tuesday, driving in another run in the fourth to complete the Dodgers’ comeback from a 3-1 deficit. Ohtani finished the game 2-for-4 with a home run, a single, a walk, two runs scored, and two RBIs.

The home run was Ohtani’s 24th of the season. It was also the second time he’s led off a game with a homer since replacing Mookie Betts at the top of the lineup.

Photo Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

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