"That swing was worth $700 million alone", "Someone actually asked if he was nervous" - Fans laud Shohei Ohtani after home run in first playoff game

Fans reacted as Shohei Ohtani ignited the fightback from the Los Angeles Dodgers in their thrilling 7-5 comeback home win against the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.

The Japanese superstar mashed a three-run homer in the third inning to level the scores for the Dodgers before they sealed victory in an exciting Game 1 clash in the National League Division Series.

Ohtani marked his first playoff hit on his postseason debut with a clutch home run. The Dodgers had home advantage for the opening clash of the ALDS against the Padres, but the visitors had surged into a three-run lead in the first inning.

Shohei Ohtani arrived at the plate for the second time in the game to face the Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease, with the Dodgers having runners at first and second base with two outs.

On a 2-1 count, Cease threw a belt-high 97 mph four-seam fastball right over the middle of the strike zone. Ohtani was clearly anticipating the pitch and jumped on it with a thundering swing of the bat to launch the ball over the right field fence for a home run to drive the home fans at Dodger Stadium into a frenzy.

The usually ice-cool Shohei Ohtani was pumped up as he flung the bat towards the away-team dugout and let out a yell to celebrate his shot. Fans showered their praise on the two-way superstar on X, formerly called Twitter.

"That swing was $700 million alone," remarked one fan.

"Someone actually asked if he was nervous," posted another fan.

"We finally get to see his greatness in the playoffs!," exclaimed one fan.

The applause continued to pour in for Shohei Ohtani on X.

"He's unreal," wrote one fan.

"That bat throw was epic," said another fan.

"Ohtani showing the postseason how it’s done," another fan posted.

Although Shohei Ohtani played six seasons for the Los Angeles Angels, he failed to make a postseason appearance. Having signed a decade-long, $700 million deal with their local rivals Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason, Ohtani has more than lived up to expectations in his first year with the organization.

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Shohei Ohtani continues to build his case for NL MVP

Shohei Ohtani marked his first playoff game with a home run in the NLDS Game 1 (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

The LA Dodgers offered Ohtani the most lucrative contract in the history of the MLB, even though they were aware that he would not be able to pitch during the 2024 season.

He has played solely as a designated hitter for the Dodgers this year, while finishing the regular season with astonishing numbers. He's the top contender for NL MVP and continues to build his case further in the playoffs.

Ohtani became the inaugural member of the 50-50 club after recording 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases. He batted .310/.390/.646 during the regular season and led the NL in on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, home runs, RBIs, total bases and runs scored. Therefore, he could become the first DH to win an MVP award in MLB history.