Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are settling in nicely with the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the team now 7-2, the league is on notice that the Dodgers are handling the pressure of being World Series favorites just fine.
Ohtani hit a milestone on Wednesday, recording his first Dodgers home run in the 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants. Ohtani and Yamamoto celebrated the homer together and engaged in an amusing celebration.
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Dodgers Nation took X to share the moment, along with the caption:
“Me whenever I see my boys winning in life đ.”
Me whenever I see my boys winning in life đ
đ„: @ohtanisukidayo pic.twitter.com/SnvrZ1so7q
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) April 4, 2024
The Dodgers swept the Giants 3-0 in the series, and are preparing for a three-game series against the 4-2 Chicago Cubs. With the Dodgers three games clear at the top of the NL West, there is a lot of optimism around the franchise that they can stay there all season.
Shohei Ohtani discusses his first Dodgers home run
After the game, Shohei Ohtani spoke to reporters about hitting his first home run, and via an interpreter, said he was relieved:
âHonestly Iâm very relieved that I was able to hit my first homer. Itâs been a while. My swing hasnât been great. So overall, very relieved.â
Ohtani was also glad he had got the ball back, as it held personal value to him:
âItâs a very special ball, a lot of feelings toward it,â Ohtani said. âIâm very grateful that itâs back.â
Here’s a look at the home run:
Shohei Ohtani hits his first home run as a Dodger đ„
đ„ @MLBpic.twitter.com/NyRjSWDHxS
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 4, 2024
Manager Dave Roberts also spoke to the media, and while he was pleased with Shohei Ohtani’s home run, the win was his main priority:
âThereâs something to the human nature part of wanting to get off to a good start with the new team and obviously with the contract. But I think most important is that weâre winning baseball games. I think thatâs something that helps the transition or the weight that you might feel.â
The Dodgers have a day off on Thursday and are preparing for the series against the Cubs, which is set for Friday at 1.20 p.m. CDT at Wrigley Field.
