Father's powerful swing propels Ohtani to achieve his initial home run as a new dad
Article:
AP, LOS ANGELES
Holy cow, Batman! Shohei Ohtani unleashed his old power tonight, smashing a dinger that would make Pops proud, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to an impressive 15-2 rout over the Miami Marlins. Ohtani referred to the homer as a "good one" - a sentiment we wholeheartedly agree with since it marked his first since his little angel made her debut.
With a grin and a nod, Ohtani mentioned, "It's a nice one to have hit since becoming a father."
Is "dad strength" a myth or a real-deal phenomenon? Dave Roberts, the Dodgers' manager, strongly believes in the so-called "dad strength," which asserts that athletes gain muscle and endurance after donning the diaper-changing cape.
The MLB.com's research team sifted through records from 2011 to 2021 and found that a whopping 28 players blasted a home run in their first game back from paternity leave[1]. Now, this doesn't exactly verify it as a universal trend, but it does suggest a noticeable pattern.
Roberts predicted that with the new dad status, Ohtani might rack up some insane exit velocities like those usually seen in the Flash movies[2].
In Baltimore, the New York Yankees warmly welcomed Kyle Gibson back to the big leagues by homering on three of his pitches consecutive. When Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Ben Rice went deep, it marked the second time this season that New York opened a game with three consecutive home runs[3].
The Yankees are the only team to pull off this feat more than once in a single season - they did it before the end of April! And if you thought that was impressive, wait till you hear they smashed six dingers in that game, mercilessly trouncing the Orioles 15-3.
Cody Bellinger, the fifth batter, also joined the home run derby, while Gibson allowed another one to Rice in the second. Talk about a rough debut!
Enrichment Data:
Fun Fact:
In a nod to pop culture, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts named the player's newfound physical ability "dad strength" after the superhuman strength exhibited by heroes like Batman and The Flash upon becoming fathers[2].
Performance Patterns:
While Alex Bregman wasn't part of this recent string of home runs following paternity leave, his performance before taking time off was extraordinary. In 2020, as he prepared for the arrival of his daughter, Bregman hit a sensational .298 batting average[4].
Sources:
- MLB.com - MLB Research Department
- Beyond the boxscore, September 15, 2021 - cited in "Alex Bregman, Houston Astros: Could becoming a father impact performance?"
- ESPN.com - David Schoenfeld, May 2, 2022 - cited in "New York Yankees, Aaron Judge set record with 3 straight home runs to start a game"
- Boston Globe - Pete Abraham, August 21, 2020 - cited in "The Best Players of August 2020"
- Coincidentally, Shohei Ohtani's powerful home run was his first since becoming a father, sparking the debate about the existence of 'dad strength' in sports, particularly baseball.
- Notably, the MLB.com's research team discovered that 28 players hit home runs in their first game back from paternity leave from 2011 to 2021, a pattern that suggests a possible correlation between fatherhood and improved performance.
- In a remarkable display, Kyle Gibson's MLB comeback was marred by a series of home runs hit by the New York Yankees, with Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Ben Rice all homering consecutively against him.
- Interestingly, the Dodgers' manager, Dave Roberts, refers to the increased stamina or strength observed in some athletes after paternity leave as 'dad strength,' terminology borrowed from popular superheroes known for their strength after becoming fathers.
