Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani hits first homer of 2026 to snap third-longest HR-drought of career

Shohei Ohtani is the biggest star in Major League Baseball right now. The Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar is on the Hall of Fame track, and he's got plenty more to give.

In 2026, he's finally getting back to the mound in a full-time role, and while his offense has lagged to begin the year, his pitching has been phenomenal thus far. Through six games, he hasn't hit a home run and was hitting .167.

That changed in Game 7 against the Washington Nationals, as Ohtani finally hit his first home run of the season. That homer snapped the third-longest homer-drought of Ohtani's career to begin a season, and was a much-needed homer for the Dodgers slugger.

Shohei Ohtani snaps third-worst HR drought vs. Nationals

This home run for Ohtani was a game-tying three-run shot off of Miles Mikolas. In the seventh game of the season, Ohtani finally hit his first homer.

Shohei Ohtani leaves the yard for the first time in 2026 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Sxh4Wdul5a

In his nine-year MLB career, this is the third-longest home run drought he's had to begin a season. Back in 2022, Ohtani hit his first home run in his eighth game, slugging two against the Texas Rangers, followed by his third the next night.

Then, two years ago in 2024, in his first year with the Dodgers, Ohtani didn't hit his first home run until his ninth game of the season against the San Francisco Giants.

More: Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece

Every other year of his Major League career, Ohtani has hit a home run before making it to the seventh game of the season.

In 2018, he hit a homer in his second game (third of the year), followed by the sixth game in 2019, the fifth game of 2020, the second game of 2021, the third game of 2023, and the second game of 2025.

The four-time MVP has been one of the best players in Major League Baseball in recent years, if not the clear best.

Coming into 2026, he had 280 homers. After this much-needed three-run shot against the Nationals, he's at 281. It's also snapping the third-longest home-run drought to begin a season of his MLB career.

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