Shohei Ohtani Set to Shine in June with His 2025 Batting Form

First, take a look at the image. It’s a comparison photo of Shohei Ohtani (30) showing his batting form from this year and last year. You can see several changes, such as the distance between the bat and his body, and his follow-through.

Providing the analysis is Takashi Kawamura, a motion analysis expert and professor at the School of Health and Physical Education at the University of Tsukuba.

This year’s batting form

Last year’s batting form

“The biggest change is the bat he started using this year, which is one inch (about 2.5 cm) longer than last year’s. The goal is likely to better handle outside pitches that he couldn’t quite connect with before, and to swing more effortlessly by using centrifugal force even without exerting full body strength. However, it appears that he hasn’t fully adjusted to the new bat yet, and you can see signs that he’s still experimenting.”

The day he fully adjusts may be just around the corner

Let’s listen to Kawamura’s explanation while looking at the sequence of photos.

“In the first frame, the grip position is the same, but this year the bat is slightly more upright. You can tell that he is more relaxed and in a more natural stance compared to last year.”

The differences between the old and new forms appear in frame 2.

“He rotates his hips like a spinning top, with the lower body moving from the hips—a perfect hip-first form. However, this year, the bat is slightly farther from his body. He should ideally swing more compactly and transfer the power from the upper body to the bat more effectively, but the bat is moving away from the body due to centrifugal force.”

The key in frame 3 is the pentagon.

“Last year, the pentagon was formed with both shoulders, both elbows, and the grip. Normally, the arms would extend fully, but maintaining the ‘pentagon’ allows for efficient impact with the ball. This year, however, the pentagon tends to break down. The longer bat is making a wider arc than expected, and the arms are slightly extended.”

Changes can also be seen in the second half of the swing, from frame 4 to frame 5.

“Last year, he controlled the opening of the right shoulder and smoothly swung the bat, with his weight remaining firmly on the left foot. The large follow-through was also a factor in sending the ball farther. This year, the swing path is wider, and the bat is not fully syncing with the body’s movements, resulting in a smaller follow-through. In the finish, he lets go of the bat with his left hand, trying to make a larger swing to compensate for the smaller follow-through.”

The weaknesses have become apparent, but Kawamura assures that there’s no need for concern.

“Changing the length of the bat would normally cause most players to disrupt their form, but Ohtani’s head position remains stable, and there are no major negatives. Right now, it’s a period of trial and error, but the day when he fully adjusts is near. With the strength of the longer bat, he can hit sharp balls far even with relaxed swings thanks to centrifugal force. I believe he will explode in June.”

Having fully adjusted to the new bat, Ohtani is likely to enter an unstoppable state by this summer.

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