It was shaping up to be a dream night at Dodger Stadium for Shohei Ohtani—until things took a sudden and scary turn, all thanks to a foul ball from a teammate.

Ohtani had just delivered one of his signature jaw-dropping home runs when he found himself ducking for cover in the dugout, narrowly avoiding a screaming line drive from none other than Mookie Betts.

From Homer Heroics to Dodging Danger

The night kicked off in spectacular fashion when Ohtani launched a jaw-dropping 448-foot homer to kick off the bottom of the first inning against Colorado Rockies pitcher Germán Márquez.

It was his sixth homer of the season, and the crowd went wild.

As Ohtani returned to the dugout, soaking in the celebration with teammate Austin Barnes, Mookie Betts stepped up to the plate.

Then came the twist—Betts fouled off a 94-mph sinker that came flying straight toward the Dodgers dugout.

“Look Out in the Dugout!” Moment Goes Viral

“Look out in the dugout,” one of the Dodgers’ announcers warned on the broadcast—just as the ball came frighteningly close to hitting Ohtani and Barnes.

Cameras captured both players visibly startled, with Barnes reacting quickly and Ohtani breaking into laughter afterward, clearly shaken but unharmed.

“That should be, like, a no-sit zone,” another commentator joked, pointing out that of all people, Shohei Ohtani should definitely not be sitting in the danger zone.

Ohtani’s Health Is Too Precious to Risk

Of course, this wasn’t just any near-miss. Ohtani isn’t just the reigning National League MVP—he’s also working his way back from his second Tommy John surgery.

The last thing the Dodgers or their fans want is to lose him to a freak accident like this.

Earlier this month, Ohtani threw a 26-pitch bullpen session as part of his carefully structured return to the mound.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts mentioned they’re keeping him on a strict weekly rhythm to ease him back in, especially with hopes of pitching again later this season.

A Costly Comeback Journey with Big Stakes

Ohtani had his second Tommy John surgery last September, while still with the Los Angeles Angels.

Not long after, he inked an eye-popping $700 million deal with the Dodgers—most of it deferred to later years—to chase a World Series dream, which they actually achieved last October.

As a pitcher, his record is already stellar: 38 wins, 19 losses, a 3.01 ERA, and 608 strikeouts.

Needless to say, every step of his comeback is being closely watched by fans and the Dodgers’ staff alike.

Dodgers Hang On for the Win Despite Rockies’ Rally

While the Ohtani moment stole the headlines, there was still a game to play—and what a wild one it turned out to be.

The Dodgers piled on six more runs in the first inning, seemingly putting the game out of reach early.

But the Rockies didn’t roll over. They clawed their way back and trimmed LA’s lead to just one by the top of the seventh, making things unexpectedly tense.

Still, Dodgers closer Tanner Scott shut the door in the ninth, striking out the side to preserve an 8–7 win.

What’s Next for Both Teams

With the nail-biter win behind them, the Dodgers now head to Texas for a Friday matchup against the Rangers.

Meanwhile, the Rockies return home to Denver, where they’ll take on the Washington Nationals.

As for Ohtani? Here’s hoping the only thing flying near him next game is another baseball headed over the fence.