LOS ANGELES -- Shohei Ohtani reminded the baseball world why he’s a four-time MVP during the Dodgers' 6-2 loss to the Giants on Tuesday night, snapping a power drought with a blast that couldn't have been scripted better.
On Ice Cube Bobblehead Night at Dodger Stadium, the legendary rapper was already the center of attention after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. But Ohtani stole the show in the third inning, launching a 93.9 mph sinker from Giants right-hander Adrian Houser into the left-center-field seats.
What made the moment cinematic? Ice Cube was actually in the SportsNet LA broadcast booth on the call when the ball left the bat.
The home run was Ohtani’s seventh of the year, but more importantly, it was his first since April 26. Entering Tuesday’s matchup, the superstar had been navigating a rare power slump, managing just two home runs in his previous 113 plate appearances.
At the time, the blast served as a crucial response to the Giants, who had just tied the game 1-1 in the top of the third following an Eric Haase solo shot. Ohtani’s homer immediately restored the Dodgers' lead, 2-1.
Even with four MVPs and two World Series rings at home, Ohtani still looked like a kid who just hit his first homer. Almost as soon as he reached the dugout, he was -- perhaps sarcastically -- seen asking around to make sure the ball got retrieved. When you’ve been waiting over two weeks to see one leave the park, you definitely want to hold onto the evidence.
Manager Dave Roberts noticed the immediate shift in his superstar's demeanor after the trot.
"Relief," Roberts said of Ohtani’s body language in the dugout. "He smiled, he laughed. I just think that he’s gonna feel good about the offensive side tonight. ... When your best player is doing what he’s capable of doing, it just adds that energy into the dugout and frees guys up a little bit, too."
While the Dodgers couldn't maintain the lead, Roberts was encouraged by the quality of Ohtani's contact throughout the night.
"I really felt that taking the sinker the other way for a homer was great," Roberts said. "He hit the ball on the screws three times. So I thought tonight was a really good night."
Ohtani is not expected to be in the starting lineup Wednesday as he focuses on his pitching duties, but the Dodgers hope Tuesday's blast is the spark that reignites the rest of the offense.
"When he’s doing his thing, those are runs on the board," Roberts added. "I think that he can hopefully take that momentum from tonight and be building on that.”