Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Becomes First Japanese‑Born Player to Hit 300 Home Runs

3 min read

A transcendent milestone for Shohei Ohtani—and a cultural moment for baseball—unfolded at Dodger Stadium on July 7, as he launched his 300th career home run, becoming the first Japanese‑born player to reach the rarefied 300‑HR club.

Shohei Ohtani launching his 300th career home run at Dodger Stadium, a powerful leadoff blast into the stands, photorealistic horizontal landscape under stadium lights, crisp and dynamic header image.

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Historic Blast at Dodger Stadium

On the evening of July 7, 2026, at Dodger Stadium, Shohei Ohtani launched a leadoff solo home run in the first inning off Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen for the 300th of his Major League career. The blast traveled roughly 409 feet and was clocked at an exit velocity between 112 and 119 mph, depending on the source. This moment marked him as the first Japanese‑born player ever to reach 300 MLB home runs.

A Milestone Achieved in Record Time

Ohtani reached this landmark in just 1,102 games with at least one plate appearance, making him the fifth‑fastest player in MLB history to reach 300 home runs. Only Aaron Judge (953 games), Ralph Kiner (1,086), Ryan Howard (1,091), and Juan Gonzalez (1,093) did it faster—and none of them were two‑way players.