The Potential Impact of Shohei Ohtani at Fenway Park with the Red Sox

Shohei Ohtani could be the next big thing at Fenway Park by Senior Editor Mike Cole | 15 Hours Ago | 4 Min Read

We can all agree that wherever Shohei Ohtani ends up in 2024, he’s going to make an impact. But what if he joined the Red Sox? With Ohtani being a left-handed hitter, he would join a long list of successful lefty sluggers at Fenway Park, from Ted Williams to Rafael Devers. Fenway is known to favor left-handers who can hit the other way and take advantage of the Green Monster. However, it can be tough to hit home runs to left field and left-center, especially in chilly, windy conditions. Despite that, evidence suggests that Ohtani would still have success, with most of his career home runs projected to clear the fences at Fenway.

Statistics from Baseball Savant show that 153 of Ohtani’s 171 career home runs would have been home runs at Fenway, meaning he would lose only 18 home runs. This aligns closely with league averages, and surprisingly, fewer of Ohtani’s home runs would have been home runs at Yankee Stadium despite its short porch. His batted-ball breakdown shows that he doesn’t favor pulling the ball and uses all fields; this means he could thrive at Fenway, leveraging his exceptional hard-hit percentage which could translate to more hits off the Monster. Moreover, his batted-ball spray chart suggests that he could turn more outs into singles or doubles when playing at Fenway.

What’s more, Ohtani’s ability as a pitcher perfectly complements his skill at the plate. His presence in a Red Sox jersey might be especially dangerous, given Fenway Park’s unique dimensions and history with certain types of hitters. In essence, Ohtani is the modern-day Babe Ruth, capable of posting remarkable numbers wherever he plays in the future.

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David Rodriguez

David Rodriguez brings the excitement of Major League Baseball to readers. With a deep appreciation for America’s pastime, he covers the latest MLB news, scores, and player achievements, keeping fans up to date with their favorite teams and players.