Shohei Ohtani’s Home Run Surge with a Long Bat

“With a bat like chopsticks, you can’t hit it far.”

Hirokazu Kadota, who boasts 567 home runs, third in NPB history, openly declared this and continued to produce home runs until the age of 44 with his iconic 34.5-inch (about 87.6 cm) bat. It took him seven years to master its use.

Time has passed, and Shohei Ohtani (30) of the Dodgers is now challenging a new extra-long bat this year. The length of the bat is 35 inches (about 88.9 cm). This is one of the longest in Major League Baseball, with only a few players, including Aaron Judge (32) of the Yankees, using such a bat. Baseball commentator Takeshi Kobayakawa, a left-handed power hitter like Ohtani, explains:

“Ohtani’s aim is likely twofold. The first is to cover the low outside pitches, the ones furthest from his body. He faces a high probability of having sliders from left-handed pitchers or sinkers from right-handed pitchers thrown to the outside low or high corners. By making the bat slightly longer, he hopes to reduce strikeouts and cover a wider strike zone.

The second goal is to increase extra-base hits while keeping his output controlled, using centrifugal force. Just like a golf driver, the longer the bat, the greater the power to hit the ball farther. His walk-off home run on April 3rd, a pitch on the outside corner, was a perfect example of the bat’s effect, as he drove the ball just over the center field fence.”

Until last year, Ohtani used a 34-inch (about 86.4 cm) bat. Although it’s only a one-inch difference, when hitting a ball that is approximately 2.9 inches in diameter and needs to travel 100 meters, the difference is significant. In fact, during spring training’s live batting practice, Ohtani experienced an abnormal situation where he broke several bats.

“Ohtani is a hitter who excels at inside pitches. However, the longer the bat becomes, the further the sweet spot moves toward the tip. This gap in feel may have caused him to struggle, getting jammed and breaking his bat. In my career, I also changed bat length and weight, and a slight shift in feel could lead to a slump. You might think, ‘He hit 54 home runs last season; he shouldn’t have needed to change.’ But Ohtani is a batter beyond our common sense, so he’s likely aiming for further evolution.

Moreover, he has the kind of power to casually send the ball into the stands even when he’s a bit jammed. While covering the outside corner, he can crush inside pitches with superhuman power. He’s gradually adapting to the longer bat, and I believe he’ll hit more than 55 home runs, surpassing last year’s total.”

On April 19, Ohtani reported the birth of his long-awaited first child. With his new weapon in hand, how many celebratory home runs will he hit?

 

From “FRIDAY,” May 9, 16, 23, 2025 issue.