Japanese fans of Shohei Ohtani are not going to be happy with a mere NL West title.
“I want Ohtani to play in the World Series,” Isshin Watanabe, a fan in Tokyo, told the Associated Press. “That’s my hope.”
Special editions of Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper announcing Ohtani’s record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers were reportedly popular fare in Tokyo on Sunday as fans reacted to the superstar’s move from Orange County up I-5.
The deal is believed to have beaten out Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe for the largest contract in sports history, though it reportedly comes with significant deferrals.
The two-way star is considered unlikely to pitch this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September. However, he comes off a second MVP campaign in two seasons and joins a club that was already amongst the World Series favorites.
“I think Ohtani will return to the two-way role the year after next,” Watanabe said. “I want him to be the home run king next year.”
Leading the majors in home runs is, surprisingly, something Ohtani, 29, has never done, though his 44 led the American League last year.
Matt Olson, Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso all hit more than him in 2023 and Aaron Judge had the better of Ohtani when he broke the AL single-season record in 2022 with 62 and beat him to the MVP Award.
Ohtani’s profile in Japan is nothing short of massive, but the potential of seeing him play for a team with bona-fide World Series aspirations could see it grow more.
“I’ve been following Ohtani since his high school years,” Asihisa Suzuku told Kyodo, a Japanese news agency. “I want to cheer him wherever he is.”
According to Kyodo, fans gathered at Ohtani’s high school to take photos with a monument of his handprint.
“I’m so happy,” Sho Sato, another fan, told the AP. “I had been waiting for this announcement since yesterday.”