Shohei Ohtani delivered a magical moment for his home country Wednesday, blasting his first homer of the 2025 season during the Dodgers’ 6-3 win over the Cubs in Tokyo.
The Japanese superstar connected on a solo shot in the fifth inning off Chicago’s Nate Pearson, sending the Tokyo Dome crowd into a frenzy.
“I know Shohei puts his pants on like we all do, one leg at a time, but if there’s ever a superhero, I think Shohei just seems like a superhero,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “In the biggest of games, in the biggest of moments, he seems to always deliver.”
The homer briefly required review when a fan reached over the railing in right-center field, but officials quickly determined the ball would have cleared the fence anyway.
Ohtani’s blast made him just the second Japanese-born player to homer in an MLB game played in Japan. Hideki Matsui was the first, hitting a two-run shot for the Yankees against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at the Tokyo Dome back in 2004.
This wasn’t Ohtani’s first time going deep at the iconic Tokyo venue. He hit homers there regularly during his time with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters from 2013-17, crushed one during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, and even connected during an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants just last weekend.
With 226 career MLB homers, Ohtani now holds the all-time record among Japanese-born players.
Last season was simply historic for the 30-year-old phenom. He captured his third MVP award — all by unanimous vote — after putting up mind-boggling numbers: a .310 average, 54 homers and 59 stolen bases. He’s the only 50/50 player baseball has ever seen.
Fans might get an even bigger treat later this year when Ohtani is expected to return to pitching. He’s been throwing bullpen sessions as he recovers from elbow surgery performed in September 2023, though the Dodgers haven’t announced exactly when he’ll take the mound in a game.
For now, Japanese fans are just thrilled to see their hometown hero doing what he does best — making baseball history on the game’s biggest stages.
