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Shohei Ohtani's First Home Run of MLB Season Came With Some Controversy

Andy Nesbitt

Shohei Ohtani belted his first home run of the season Wednesday in Tokyo.
Shohei Ohtani belted his first home run of the season Wednesday in Tokyo. / @MLBonFOX
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Shohei Ohtani belted his first home run of the season Wednesday in Tokyo, but it came with some controversy as the announcers, and even Ohtani, weren't sure it should have been a home run after the umpires reviewed it.

Ohtani, who had 54 dingers last season, crushed a ball to right center in the fifth inning of the Dodgers-Cubs game in Japan. At first it looked like it hit off the top of the wall and would be a double, but then umpires quickly motioned that it was a home run. They then reviewed the play and a fan was seen getting a hand on the ball.

Here's how that played out:

Here's how the review process went:

That did look like it might not have made it over the wall if it wasn't for the fan. But it was indeed ruled a home run and it looks like Ohtani is ready for another huge season.

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Andy Nesbitt
ANDY NESBITT

Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.

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