After being the subject of intense booing from Toronto fans, Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani responded with a mammoth home run and a blistering base hit.
In the aftermath of the off-season plane rumors that suggested Shohei Ohtani might be joining the Toronto Blue Jays, the Japanese superstar made his first visit to Toronto since those reports. However, he was greeted with a chorus of boos from the home crowd.
Undeterred, Ohtani put on a show for the hostile Rogers Centre audience. In the first inning of Friday's game, he launched a titanic home run to silence the jeers. The following day, he answered continued boos with a base hit that left the bat at nearly 120 mph, his hardest-hit ball ever recorded.
Entering Saturday's game, Ohtani was off to his best start ever offensively, hitting .354 with an MLB-leading .681 slugging percentage. His impressive start comes as he recovers from elbow surgery and is not pitching this season.
Last year, Ohtani led the majors in slugging percentage (.654) and OPS (1.066). His .412 on-base percentage was second in the league, his 44 homers were fourth, and his .304 average was ninth.
Ohtani was also a force on the mound in 2023, going 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings pitched. Among pitchers who threw 130.0 innings, his ERA was the ninth-lowest in MLB, and his K/9 was sixth. Among AL pitchers with that number of innings, he ranked fifth and third, respectively.
The Dodgers signed Ohtani to a record-setting $700 million deal this off-season, ensuring that the two-way star will remain in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future.
The Blue Jays fans' disappointment at not landing Ohtani is understandable, given his incredible talent and versatility. However, Ohtani has shown that he is not letting the missed opportunity bother him. Instead, he is using it as motivation to perform at his best, no matter where he plays.
Ohtani's performance in Toronto serves as a reminder that even the most talented players can face adversity. However, with hard work and determination, anything is possible.
