'Wow.' Ohtani of the world is relieved to hit a home run! The first arch in 28 at-bats → The sky was also a hot topic, "The first time I've seen it in 12 years."

*This content was translated by AI.

Shohei Ohtani (32, Los Angeles Dodgers), the "God of Baseball," was also a person after all. At the moment of breaking the long silence that followed after the opening, I could see a mixture of relief and awe in his unfamiliar movements. It was a perfect shot to clean up the recent wrist injury concerns.

Ohtani started as the No. 1 designated hitter in an away game against the Washington Nationals in the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. on the 4th (Korea time), and hit a tie-breaking three-run home run in the top of the third inning, with one out and runners on first and second base, trailing 0-3. It is the first home run in seven games and 28 at-bats this season. The Dodgers won 13-6, and Ohtani's batting average for the season rose from 0.167 to 0.217 after hitting hard with two hits in five at-bats (one home run) and four RBIs.

What became more popular than the home run itself was Ohtani's ceremony. According to the full count of Japanese baseball media, Ohtani confirmed that the ball was inserted into the right stands, and after turning the base, he stepped home and stared at the sky with both hands together for a while. He described Ohtani as a scene he has never seen before even a full-count reporter who has been covering from close range for 12 years. He pointed out that it was markedly different from the usual time when he always went around the base calmly.

After the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also paid attention to the scene. Roberts said in an official interview after the game, "Otani seemed relieved after hitting a home run. I also felt that some great force worked from the way I looked up at the sky. Anyway, it will be a big turning point for me," he said with a smile.

Multiple Japanese media have made various speculations about Ohtani's "staring into the sky." Coincidentally, April 4th, Korean time, is said to be like 'Promise Day' for Ohtani every year. This is because he hit his first home run in the Major League in 2018 and predicted a great performance in 2023 and 2024, when he won the MVP (Best Player Award). It is interpreted that even Ohtani breathed a sigh of relief when the pleasant jinx was reproduced.

In fact, the home run is significant in that it has recently quelled allegations of injuries raised locally. Ohtani was caught breaking his wrist after striking out at the end of a home game against the Cleveland Guardians on the 2nd, raising fans' concerns.

Roberts also left an explanation for this. According to reporter Jack Harris of the California Post, Roberts said, "I checked Ohtani's condition in the training part. Fortunately, the wrist issue at the moment is "Non-issue" made clear. The 122-meter (401-foot) jubilant arch, which overshadowed injury concerns, was the surest proof of Ohtani's physical condition.

When Ohtani opened the door on the day, the Dodgers' batters exploded frighteningly. All of the top batters, including Mookie Betts, Andy Parz, and Freddie Freeman, hit home runs, and even newly joined Kyle Tucker reported his first home run since the transfer, leading the team to a great victory. He scored 13 points with 16 hits including four homers.

After Ohtani breathed a sigh of relief, there were numerous messages in his short gaze toward the sky. Ohtani's run is back on track in earnest, with 19 left, including his 300 career home runs, drawing his first arch in the 2026 season.

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*This content was translated by AI.