The Los Angeles Dodgers wanted to "paint Japan blue" with the signing of Shohei Ohtani, and reaction this week in South Korea suggests they have charmed the rest of Asia too."Having Shohei and Yoshinobu here, the hope this winter was to paint the country of Japan blue, and I think we've done that."
San Diego starting pitcher Yu Darvish said he will try not to let his "personal feelings" for Shohei Ohtani affect his performance in Wednesday's Major League Baseball season-opener in Seoul.Darvish and Ohtani both started their professional careers with Japan's Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters before making high-profile moves to MLB. The Dodgers signed another Japanese pitcher over the off-season in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who will start Game 2 in Seoul.
Japan's Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani was the undisputed main attraction Monday as South Korean fans savoured the chance to watch baseball royalty in their own backyard.- Cross-border popularity - Ohtani won his second American League Most Valuable Player Award in six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels last year before departing for free agency.
Shohei Ohtani said Saturday he was focused on baseball despite being the subject of sky-high global interest as he prepares to make his Los Angeles Dodgers regular-season debut in South Korea.Ohtani won his second American League Most Valuable Player award in six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels last year but departed for free agency after failing to enjoy even a winning season, much less reach the MLB playoffs.