Shohei Ohtani Crushes 37th Home Run, Extends League Lead With First-Inning Blast Against Twins Starter Chris Paddack

Shohei Ohtani Crushes 37th Home Run, Extends League Lead With First-Inning Blast Against Twins Starter Chris Paddack

Shohei Ohtani, who leads the National League with 37 home runs, homered in the first inning off Minnesota Twins starter Chris Paddack. That sentence alone would be enough to stir headlines in any era of baseball. But in 2025, it carries an entirely different weight. Ohtani is not merely leading the league — he’s dominating it in ways that seem to defy convention, and his latest blast against the Twins is just another powerful reminder of what he’s doing to the game this season.

The first-inning home run came in classic Ohtani fashion: early, authoritative, and thunderous. Chris Paddack, who had likely spent days preparing for this start, knowing he would be facing the most dangerous hitter in the game, fell victim to a swing that has become all too familiar to pitchers around the league. One mistake, one pitch caught too much of the plate, and the ball was gone — rocketing into the night sky over center field, as Dodger Stadium erupted in full voice.

It was vintage Ohtani — part elegance, part violence. The swing that generates so much power looks almost too smooth to be real, like a dance step practiced a thousand times. His timing was perfect, his balance unwavering. In that moment, everything about baseball’s greatest superstar was on display — the focus, the poise, the unteachable skill that separates the great from the legendary. With one swing, Ohtani gave the crowd a reason to rise to their feet and gave his team an immediate jolt of energy.

But as always with Ohtani, the moment was about more than just one swing. It was about the context. He entered the game already leading the National League in home runs, a towering figure both literally and statistically. Pitchers have spent the year pitching around him, mixing up looks, and trying to find holes in his approach. None have succeeded. At 37 home runs and counting, he is pulling away from the rest of the league, creating a gulf between himself and even the most elite power hitters.

The home run against Paddack wasn’t a fluke. It was the product of meticulous preparation, supernatural talent, and in-game intelligence. Ohtani is not just swinging for the fences — he’s studying tendencies, reading pitchers, and adjusting on the fly. He’s playing chess while others are stuck in checkers. And the results are staggering.

This latest homer also adds to the growing narrative of his 2025 campaign: that of a player fully in his prime, thriving under the bright lights of Los Angeles, and chasing down a season for the ages. The numbers keep climbing, and the feats keep piling up. His home run total leads the league. His slugging percentage is absurd. His OPS ranks among the highest in decades. He’s not just the best player in baseball — he’s putting together a season that’s starting to feel mythical.

And perhaps even more impressively, he’s doing it with consistency. Some players hit home runs in bunches, then disappear. Not Ohtani. He’s showing up every night, locked in from the first pitch. That’s why his first-inning blast matters so much. He’s not waiting to get hot. He is hot — every single game. The moment he steps into the batter’s box, pitchers tense up and fans hold their breath. Because everyone knows what could happen. And more often than not, it does.

There’s a rhythm to Ohtani’s game now. A quiet confidence that surrounds him even when he’s standing still. You can see it in the way he carries himself between pitches. The way he doesn’t chase. The way he locks onto fastballs and punishes them. It’s not arrogance. It’s awareness. He knows exactly who he is and what he’s capable of. And that’s what makes it all the more terrifying for the opposition.

For Chris Paddack, there was little room for error. He came in knowing he would need to be nearly perfect to navigate Ohtani without damage. But as so many others have learned this year, perfection is a fantasy when Ohtani is in the batter’s box. Even the smallest misstep — a fastball that catches too much plate, a curveball that doesn’t quite break enough — will be punished with extreme prejudice. And that’s exactly what happened.

Ohtani’s blast wasn’t just an exclamation point — it was a warning shot. To the Twins. To the National League. To the rest of baseball. He’s not slowing down. He’s only heating up. And the 2025 season may very well belong to him entirely.

What makes this season even more impressive is the pressure that came with his move to the Dodgers. After years with the Angels, Ohtani signed one of the largest contracts in sports history, joining a franchise built on expectations and a fanbase hungry for titles. Many wondered whether he could live up to the weight of the moment. Instead, he’s carrying it like a feather. The spotlight hasn’t blinded him — it’s made him shine brighter.

Every great performance adds to the lore. Every home run, every clutch moment, every highlight-reel swing is another brick in a growing monument to a career that’s becoming impossible to ignore. Ohtani isn’t just having a good season — he’s assembling a masterpiece in real time. And the beauty of it is that we all get to watch it unfold.

The comparison game is inevitable. We look back at Babe Ruth, at Hank Aaron, at Barry Bonds, and we ask where Ohtani fits in. But the truth is, he doesn’t fit into anyone else’s box. He’s breaking the mold completely. Yes, there have been great hitters. Yes, there have been transcendent seasons. But no one has done it quite like this. Not with this combination of skill, style, and stardom. He’s not just a power hitter. He’s a cultural icon. A two-way threat. A force of nature.

Even though he isn’t pitching this season as he recovers from elbow surgery, the aura of the two-way phenom remains intact. That he can dominate this thoroughly as a hitter alone is proof of just how complete his game is. It’s why fans across the country — not just in Los Angeles — flock to see him. He’s appointment viewing. He’s something rare and precious in sports: a true original.

The 37th home run, as with so many of his others, felt like a moment frozen in time. The crack of the bat, the silence just before the crowd exploded, the outfielder turning and jogging helplessly — these are scenes we’ve come to expect when Ohtani is locked in. And this year, he’s been locked in more often than not.

So what happens now? More homers, almost certainly. A run at 50? Very likely. A possible MVP campaign that would leave no room for doubt? Absolutely within reach. But more than any award or number, what’s happening with Ohtani this year is bigger than a trophy case. He’s changing the way we think about what’s possible in baseball. He’s reminding everyone — from diehard fans to casual observers — why we fell in love with this game in the first place.

It’s the thrill of watching someone do something remarkable. Not once. Not twice. But night after night, with relentless excellence. That first-inning home run wasn’t just a stat-padding blast. It was a continuation of a narrative that’s sweeping through baseball like wildfire.

Shohei Ohtani is writing a season for the ages, and every at-bat is a new page. The league’s top slugger, the sport’s brightest star, and maybe — just maybe — the best we’ve ever seen. And when the ball left his bat and sailed into the seats, it wasn’t just another run on the board.

It was history, in motion.