Shohei Ohtani, as you may know, was set to play in the on-going World Baseball Classic this year, but was a late scratch due to an ankle injury. We were all legitimately quite bummed to hear the news.
But he has healed up well-enough to play in his league’s version of Spring Training, where he just hit an absolutely mammoth home run to right field:
特 大 弾 !北海道日本ハム(@FightersPR)・大谷選手がものすごい飛距離の本塁打を放つ!https://t.co/RHg7fdMwl2 #lovefighters
— パ・リーグTV公式 (@PacificleagueTV) March 14, 2017
Holy. Crap.
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If there happens to still be some fans out there unfamiliar with Ohtani, all you need to know is his nickname: “The Next Babe Ruth.” While I’m certain he has a VERY long way to go before he earns that moniker, he is well on his way.
“Otani hit 22 home runs and slugged .588 as Hokkaido’s designated hitter last year. He also went 10-4, 1.86 with 174 strikeouts in 140 innings. One of the better power hitters in Nippon Professional Baseball, he also is the league’s hardest-ever thrower.“
I can’t believe that there’s already “nothing left to say,” about a twenty-two year old pitcher/hitter who hasn’t even played a single inning in the Major Leagues, but that’s about where were at with Shohei Ohtani.
The dude just knows how to baseball.
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