Shohei Ohtani’s batting practice on May 12 at Dodger Stadium created a huge buzz, as the two-way superstar launched a towering home run that directly hit the roof of the venue. It marked his first batting practice in a week, and the slugger sent an impressive 17 balls over the fence in total, drawing intense attention from the opposing San Francisco Giants’ players and coaching staff.
The powerful display came at a critical time for Ohtani, who had been mired in an unusual 0-for-19 slump over his last four games, including 19 consecutive hitless at-bats. His teammates and manager Dave Roberts watched closely as Ohtani swung freely, showing no signs of frustration. “It’s good to see him take some aggressive hacks and let the ball fly,” a team source noted. The session included several line-drive shots and deep drives that cleared the wall with ease.
Ohtani, batting first as the designated hitter, was set to face the Giants in the series opener. His previous batting practice was on May 5, and since then, he had gone 0-for-19 with no hits. The Giants’ pitchers and position players reportedly took note of Ohtani’s renewed power, with one scout remarking that the ball he hit off the roof was one of the hardest he’d seen all season.
The Dodgers, who have been relying on Ohtani’s production at the plate, hope this batting practice signals a return to form. The 29-year-old is hitting .261 with six home runs and 22 RBIs through the early part of the season, but his recent cold streak had raised concerns. With the roof-shot blast and 17 total home runs in the session, Ohtani appears to be finding his rhythm again.
