Angels’ Shohei Ohtani sets Statcast record with 119 mph double against Royals
In a lopsided win, it’s usually hard to isolate one definitive turning point. But when the Angels thumped the Royals 10-3 on Monday night at Kauffman Stadium, Shohei Ohtani delivered one of the key hits in the seventh inning.
It also was the hardest hit ball of the season.
Ohtani, who pitches and plays outfield, laced a two-run double off Royals relief pitcher Scott Barlow to break open a one-run game. The ball had an exit velocity of 119 mph, which makes Ohtani just the fifth player in the Statcast era to hit a ball that hard.
Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Gary Sánchez and Nelson Cruz are all right-handed hitters, while Ohtani bats left handed.
So that means the double hit on Monday night was the hardest hit ball by a left-handed batter since Statcast was put in all Major League Baseball stadiums in 2015.
Angels manager Joe Maddon was stunned to see the 119 mph exit velocity on the Crown Vision board.
“I looked up and there she was, and I looked at Gags (bench coach Mike Gallego) and said ‘Did you see that right there?’” Maddon told MLB.com. “It’s impressive. He’s an impressive athlete. And right now, he can’t feel any better about himself or have any more self-confidence.”
MLB.com said the Statcast record for exit velocity is 122.2 mph by Stanton on Oct. 1, 2017.
This story was originally published April 13, 2021 at 8:44 AM.
