Shohei Ohtani of the MLB Angels started the game against the Blue Jays on the 7th as the No. 3 designated hitter and walked the red carpet before the game at an event to commemorate the first game of the season at home.
The Angels played their first game at Angel Stadium, and five hours before the game started, Angels players appeared in uniform on the red carpet in front of the stadium.
Some of the gathered fans were holding placards with the words "Marry me Shohei" written in Japanese, and when Ohtani appeared, "Shohei Call" erupted with a particularly loud cheer, and Ohtani responded with a smile with a raised hand.
Appeared on the team's official radio playoffs 'well aim'
Ohtani appeared on the team's official radio at the radio booth set up in front of the stadium, and when asked about his relationship of trust with interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, who is always with him, he jokingly smiled, saying, "A little, just a little, but I trust you a little."
On top of that, he said, "It's been about 11 years since I was a Japan, so I think it's easy to have an atmosphere that you can understand without having to say anything to some extent."
In addition, when asked about his usual relaxation method, he replied, "I play games, I like to take a bath, so I like to relax at the hotel, because I like to spend time alone," and when asked about the team's first playoff appearance in nine years, he replied, "The atmosphere of the team is good, and I think if we keep going like this, we will be able to aim for enough." He was enthusiastic.
Ohtani then chatted with pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, a senior at Iwate Hanamaki Higashi High School and a member of the Blue Jays, for about 1 minutes during practice on the field, and entered the season opener in a relaxed mood.
Kikuchi is scheduled to start against the Angels on the 9th and 20th of Japan hours, and it is likely that he will face batter Ohtani for the first time since last August.