Ohtani’s leadoff fireworks

Shohei Ohtani opened the Dodgers’ April 11 game against Texas with a first-inning home run, then flashed the club’s “Decoy” celebration in the dugout. (mlb.com) The homer came on an 86.5 mile-per-hour slider from Rangers right-hander Jack Leiter and landed in the right-field seats at Dodger Stadium. Statcast measured it at 390 feet, with a 104.5 mile-per-hour exit velocity and a 36-degree launch angle. (mlb.com) Los Angeles beat Texas 6-3 on Saturday, April 11, with Teoscar Hernández adding a three-run homer in the first inning. The win pushed the Dodgers to 11-3, while Texas fell to 9-5. (apnews.com) Major League Baseball said Ohtani’s homer extended his on-base streak to 45 games dating to last season. ESPN’s player page listed him with four home runs and a.283 average through 14 games after Saturday’s win. (mlb.com) (espn.com) The “Decoy” gesture was already part of the Dodgers’ celebration catalog before this game. Major League Baseball reported in 2024 that teammates adopted it from a Japanese ad campaign Ohtani did with Decorté, a skincare brand. (mlb.com) “Decoy” is also the name of Ohtani’s dog, which became a Dodgers-side phenomenon in August 2024 when Decoy delivered the ceremonial first pitch on a bobblehead giveaway night at Dodger Stadium. ESPN reported that fans lined up early for that promotion. (espn.com) By Saturday night, the baseball clip and the dugout celebration were circulating together on Major League Baseball’s social accounts. The play landed as another early-season Ohtani highlight in a Dodgers start that has kept them atop the National League West. (x.com) (espn.com) The Dodgers and Rangers were back at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, April 12, for the series finale. Ohtani had already given the weekend its first swing-and-celebrate moment. (mlb.com)