How many ways can Shohei Ohtani impress us? We could try to enumerate them, but it would be a useless exercise, since we always fall short.
The exit speed of the two-run blaster was 116.1 mph, the hardest drive into the opposite field by a left-handed hitter since Statcast began tracking hits in 2015.
“It’s really good… really good,” Angels manager Vin Niven said with a laugh. “When he’s in a rhythm like that, it’s fun to watch.”
This impressive connection was Otani’s third homer of the series against Texas and his second in the opposite field. He hit two on Mondays, a 459-foot home run to center field and a 388-foot home run to left field.
The previous Statcast record for the fastest speed out of the opposite field by a left hander was held by Joey Gallo, who reached 113 mph on September 25, 2017. That race was also in Arlington, at the Rangers’ old home stadium, Globe Life Park.
The overall record for hardest opposite-pitch hit is set by Yankees hitter Giancarlo Stanton, who hit a two-run home run to right-center field against the Blue Jays at Rogers Center on Opening Day 2018. That ball went 117.3 mph, his first home run of the regular season wearing Yankees uniforms.
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