Opening Day Shohei — First Inning Liner Was an Eye-Opener!
Opening Day, and Shohei crushes a liner off a curveball right in the 1st! 111 mph exit velo is insane. Had a close fly-out too but also drew a walk for 3 times on base — I've got nothing but good vibes about this season. And Will Smith and Pages going yard was just... chef's kiss. Lost count of how many beers I had.
Highlights
- Shohei Ohtani rips a 111.1 mph liner for a single in his first at-bat of the season
- Andy Pages' game-tying homer swings the momentum to the Dodgers
- Will Smith dominates with an RBI single in the 5th and a 3-run homer in the 7th
Opening Day, Shohei Delivers Right Away!
Oh man, Opening Day!! I've been waiting SO long for this!
Bottom of the 1st, leadoff hitter Shohei comes up and immediately delivers. Crushes a curveball on a liner to center! Exit velo 111.1 mph — dude, are you serious?! That's your FIRST at-bat of the season?! The kind of hit that probably stings the fielder's hands when they catch it. This man is locked in again this year.
The Deep Fly Ball in the 3rd — So Close!
That fly-out in the 3rd inning — I literally jumped off my couch screaming "THAT'S GONE!" Exit velo 100 mph, 356 feet of distance — normally that's in the seats. If the launch angle was just a tiny bit higher... ugh. But the fact that he's making that kind of contact means we're looking at a serious home run season. I'm calling it now.
The 5th Inning Walk Was Lowkey Clutch
Full count, lays off a changeup and a slider for a walk. THAT'S the plate discipline right there. Showing on Opening Day that he's not just up there hacking away — that's so reassuring to see. And that walk set up the sequence for Pages' homer, so that's how baseball works, baby.
7th Inning HBP Had Me Terrified...
When he got plunked by a 93 mph cutter, I swear my heart stopped. DO NOT hit Shohei, I swear to god!! But he looked fine, got on base, and it led to Tucker's RBI double, so all's well that ends well. Tucker and Betts both came through big time!
Lineup Goes OFF! Will Smith Was Unreal
MVP of this game is Will Smith, no debate. RBI single in the 5th plus a 3-run bomb in the 7th — absolute perfection. Pages' game-tying homer gave me chills too, but Smith's blast is what sealed the deal. That 7th inning attack — Tucker's double, then Betts' single, then Smith's homer — just gorgeous baseball, man. Almost brought a tear to my eye.
Wrapping Up
Shohei went 5 plate appearances: 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 HBP for 3 times on base. No homer, but the quality of contact was top-notch. Even the fly-out in the 8th had 103.8 mph exit velo — launch angle was 52° so it just popped up, but that's just getting under it slightly. He's absolutely dialed in.
8-2 win to kick off the season! What a night, dude. I lost count of how many beers I crushed. Let's keep it rolling tomorrow, Dodgers!