In a video posted to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ X account, pitcher Blake Snell walks toward the drinks section of a Family Mart and points up at a sign as the convenience store’s familiar jingle plays in the background. What caught his attention was a large ad featuring Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani holding a pair of rice balls as part of a campaign with the chain.
“I know that guy,” Snell says in the video.
The rest of the team is probably having a similar experience. Ohtani’s face is everywhere around Tokyo, on billboards, on bottles of tea and on countless other items. The Dodgers have explored various parts of the Japanese capital, and it's a safe bet that wherever each player went, Ohtani was not far behind in some form.
The Dodgers are in Japan for MLB’s Tokyo Series and will open the 2025 MLB campaign against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome on Tuesday night. While the team sees Ohtani’s immense popularity daily at home, this trip showed how big of a deal the world’s most popular player is in his home country.
“I think with Ohtani, it's kind of what we expected," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said during a team workout Monday morning. "He's just so revered here in the country, and I think he handles it with such humility and grace.
“He just represents the people of Japan. So for us to be able to see that firsthand and see how Shohei is received by everyone is just a very exciting experience for everyone," he added.
"Back home, people love players and love teams, but there's really no person that really represents the entire country like Shohei represents the country of Japan.”
Five Japanese stars will take the field at Tokyo Dome on Tuesday and Wednesday. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start the opener for Los Angeles and Roki Sasaki is scheduled to pitch Game 2. Shota Imanaga will oppose Yamamoto in the first game, and the Cubs also feature slugger Seiya Suzuki.
Ohtani, though, is by far the main attraction.
He has received a hero’s welcome in Japan on the heels of a historic 2024 campaign that ended with the Dodgers lifting the World Series trophy. Ohtani was also named National League MVP last year, after winning the award twice in the American League with the Los Angeles Angels.
He took the field to thunderous applause during the Dodgers’ first exhibition game against the Hanshin Tigers on Saturday, when the over 40,000 fans in attendance hung on his every movement.
“I think the thing that was most telling is when he was at bat, it was complete silence,” Roberts said after that game. “And every time he did something, take a swing, foul a ball off, there was just a gasp. I think that it was a great welcome, but I think there was just so much anticipation to see anything he did, which was different than any of our other players.”
Ohtani gave the people what they wanted in the third inning of that game with a two-run homer. He was 0-for-2 the next day against the Hanshin Tigers.
“It’s been really cool for me to see, being a teammate of his, seeing how hard he works, kind of all the reasons why he can do the things that he does,” the Dodgers’ Michael Conforto said.
Ohtani is a fabulous baseball player, and he is also a good host.
Ohtani, along with Yamamoto and Sasaki, hosted a players-only dinner on Sunday that drew rave reviews on Monday morning.
"We had a bunch of good food," pitcher Landon Knack said. "They took care of us."
Ohtani’s first season with the Dodgers was like something out of a Hollywood film. He hit 54 home runs and stole 59 bases to become the first player in MLB history with a 50-50 season, solidifying his status as the best player in the game. Ohtani also batted .310 with 130 RBIs.
He stands out as one of the most dangerous hitters in the Dodgers’ star-studded lineup.
"He can cover the plate and then some," Cubs pitcher Colin Rea said. "You really just gotta mix it up, try and mess with his timing. He's just a gifted, talented athlete, he can beat you the other way, and he can also draw a walk and steal second and third. He's just the complete player, and you gotta be at the top of your game to get him out."
Imanaga will be the first to take on the challenge in 2025.
“There is no doubt that he is the best player in the world,” Imanaga said Monday. “I’ll just try to throw the best pitch I can, and then it comes down to whether he hits it or not.”
Ohtani did not pitch last season as he recovered from having surgery on his right elbow in 2023. He is expected to return to the mound at some point this year.
The Dodgers initially hoped to have him begin pitching in games in May, and he threw four bullpen sessions during the spring. Los Angeles later decided to slow down Ohtani’s rehab to let him focus on the offensive side as he enters the season.
"He's been coming along well," pitching coach Mark Prior said Monday. "Obviously, we pulled back a little bit just to make sure he's ready for these games from the position player side.”
Ohtani also had surgery on his left shoulder, which he injured during the World Series, in November, which gave the team another reason to take things slowly.
“He's a unique individual, and he's got responsibilities on both sides of the baseball,” Prior said. “I think these things were always going to come up — getting ready for the season, that's the main thing.”
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