Shohei Ohtani answered back to the loud boos in Toronto with a solo home run
Shohei Ohtani’s first trip to Canada as a Dodger was met with widespread jeers as the two-way phenom faced boos raining down on him. The Dodger DH was unfazed as he battled his way through it, helping his side with a first inning solo home run, part of a 12-2 win for the away team.
In his past trips to Rogers Center, Ohtani had been appreciated for his two-way prowess. However, that all changed when, during the offseason, he was tantalizingly close to signing with the Blue Jays. There were some incorrect reports in the media that the 30-year-old was on a flight to Toronto to finalize the deal.
To Toronto fans’ dismay, Ohtani never left his home and instead signed a blockbuster $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After a failed attempt at signing the biggest free agent, Toronto fans seemed to have turned on the Japanese superstar.
They made their voices heard when Ohtani came out to bat in the very first inning. But Shohei answered in the way he knows best, with the bat. With a solid hit off starter Chris Bassit on a 1-1 pitch, Ohtani struck a 83 mph slider for a 360 ft bomb that rattled the Blue Jays fans.
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Baseball fans were, however, unimpressed with the reception Ohtani received as they believed he had no part to play in the media reports that circulated regarding his move to the north.
“Booing a guy because of a media faux pas is pretty classless,” one fan said.
“Blue Jays fans booing him for something that’s not even close to being his fault is laughable,” another fan commented.
“Getting boo’d becus they all fell for a tweet sent by MLBFax,” one fan reacted.
“Booing a guy because of out-of-control false media reports is something….” One fan said.
Some fans mocked the Blue Jays fans instead with their comments.
“He’s just breaking their hearts all the more,” one fan joked.
“Jays fans just jealous they suck,” a fan mocked.
Shohei Ohtani says he expected the reception in Toronto
After the first inning dinger, Blue Jays fans came down heavier on Ohtani, booing him throughout the game. They even cheered a pitch right under his chin that resulted in a walk. Ohtani, after the game, said that he understands the fans’ reactions.
“Not surprised,” said Ohtani through his interepreter. “I really do feel that the fans here are passionate, and when they are, that’s the kind of reception they will probably do.”
Shohei Ohtani continues to perform well with an average of .354 with 7 home runs and 17 RBIs.
