Shohei Ohtani Ends Home Run Drought

Everyone knew it was a matter of time.

Freddie Freeman called the Los Angeles Dodgers’ offense “inevitable,” and perhaps no one was more inevitable than two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

Sure enough, Ohtani hit his first home run of the season on Friday, a three-run blast off of Washington Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas.

And it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Dodgers had fallen into a 3-0 hole, and with two men on in the third inning, Ohtani took Mikolas’ 84 mph changeup 401 feet to right-center field.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

How Has Shohei Ohtani Played in 2026?

Before Friday, Ohtani had struggled.

He was 3-for-18 — a .167 average — and all three hits were singles.

Admittedly, he had been walked seven times, putting his on-base percentage at a much more respectable .423 heading into Friday.

But he also had struck out five times and failed to knock in a baserunner.

Asked to comment on it earlier this week, Ohtani acknowledged his frustration.

“I’ve been able to get on base, and that’s a good thing,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “But on pitches that I should be making impact, I’m not quite able to do that to the extent that I should be able to. That’s the part that I’m not quite happy about.”

What Has the Team Said About Shohei Ohtani’s Struggles Before Friday?

Manager Dave Roberts hasn’t been concerned, though, praising his superstar for being disciplined at the plate.

“It’s been a small sample this year but in general, he’s probably there in the middle,” Roberts said. “He’s doing a good job.”

It’s also worth noting that Ohtani contributes in more ways than just at the plate.

In his first full season pitching for the Dodgers, Ohtani has started strong.

He made his first regular season appearance of the year against the Guardians on Tuesday, and he lasted six innings in the 4-1 win for the Dodgers.

He gave up one hit while striking out six batters, and didn’t allow a run during the outing.

He did walk three batters and hit one with a pitch, but otherwise, it was a stellar performance.

Do you think Ohtani’s offense is back on track?