Orioles 1B jokingly admits Shohei Ohtani’s kindness hurt his pride

LA Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hits the ball with incredible power, often exceeding 100 mph off the barrel. As a left-handed batter, many of his powerful hits target first base, requiring the first baseman to be extremely vigilant to make the play.

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan O'Hearn shared a memorable incident involving one of Ohtani's hard-hit balls. He recounted an amusing story where he successfully fielded a scorching hit from Ohtani:

"The infield can be crazy—you’ve got to be absolutely locked in," O'Hearn said on Justin Ayers Baseball podcast (Timestamp: 29:09). "You might catch an Ohtani ball in the mouth, you know? He hit a ball 109 mph off my way when I was holding a guy at first in L.A. last year. He hit it 109 mph, and I just knocked it down and threw the guy out at second."

Before O'Hearn could fully process what had happened, Ohtani was already standing on first, making sure he was okay.

"The worst part? He gets to first base and asks, 'Are you okay?'" O'Hearn added.

Of course, he gave the only response a competitor could: "Yeah, dude, I’m good." However, O'Hearn was still trying to comprehend what had just happened.

What made the moment even more memorable was Ohtani’s sportsmanship. His first instinct was to check on O'Hearn who had taken the hit — something the Orioles infielder both appreciated and playfully resented.

"It’s polite but also... yeah, dude, I’m okay," O'Hearn added. "My pride’s hurt more than anything."

Ryan O'Hearn shocked upon reading the speed coming out of Shohei Ohtani's barrel

As Ryan O'Hearn recalled, the play wasn’t just about the speed of the ball. What really struck the first baseman, aside from the ball itself, was the fact that Shohei Ohtani didn’t even get all of it:

"I looked up, saw 109 mph, and thought, 'I know he’s got like 116 in the tank, so he didn’t even hit that as well as he can,'" O'Hearn said.

Ohtani's hitting mechanics are truly awe-inspiring. Even his Dodgers teammates have frequently testified to his rigorous training methods. His disciplined approach at the plate, combined with his immense power, makes him a unique hitter. His three MVP awards are a testament to this.