There was much anticipation surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s debut in Game 3 of the NLCS clash between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. Initially, it seemed his most significant moment would be celebrating Kike Hernandez’s two-run homer in the sixth inning.
However, Ohtani made his entrance to Citi Field in a spectacular fashion, delivering a thunderous crack of the bat that hushed the crowd. There was a palpable sense that Ohtani was poised to leave his mark during the New York road trip in the NLCS; it was just a matter of timing.
A three-run homer in the eighth inning certainly fit the bill.
EVERY
SINGLE
STITCHShohei Ohtani knew it right off the bat 😮 pic.twitter.com/T9ma4dyvmb
— MLB (@MLB) October 17, 2024
Patience has proven to be essential, as many fans were eager to witness one of baseball’s premier hitters finally shine against the Mets. After waiting through six games for Ohtani’s second postseason home run, he finally came through.
Shohei Ohtani’s towering shot against the New York Mets may signal a turning point in his performance for the remainder of the NLCS. This could be the pivotal moment Ohtani needed to ignite what had been a less-than-stellar postseason—by his standards, at least. Prior to Wednesday, he had only logged hits in four of the seven games. Aside from his three RBIs in Game 1 against the Padres, he managed only two RBIs in the other six contests.
Entering his first postseason in MLB, Ohtani faced enormous expectations. He had crushed over 50 home runs in the regular season and lived up to the high hopes the Dodgers had when they signed him to a staggering 10-year, $700 million deal.
Yet, after a somewhat anticlimactic start to the playoffs, uncertainty loomed over what to anticipate from Ohtani during his inaugural postseason. With one elegant swing, he reminded everyone of his remarkable talent—and the importance of patience.
