ANAHEIM -- Shohei Ohtani continued to bolster his case for the American League Rookie of the Year award. The 24-year-old Japanese star launched a 428-foot solo shot to put the Angels on the board in the first inning of Monday night's series opener against the Rangers at Angel Stadium.
Ohtani, who entered the game in a 3-for-22 slump, crushed a first-pitch sinker from Texas right-hander Adrian Sampson to right field for his 21st home run of the season. The blast had an exit velocity of 112.9 mph, making it the hardest-hit home run of his career, according to Statcast™.