Baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani will make his common season debut with the LA Dodgers in Seoul on Wednesday, sending his followers right into a frenzy.
Sport tickets and Ohtani merchandise have bought out because the Japanese sports activities hero landed in South Korea final week.
Ohtani obtained a rousing welcome whilst Japan is South Korea’s long-time sports activities rival.
The LA Dodgers-San Diego Padres match is the MLB’s first season opener in South Korea.
Seoul resident Mina Kim mentioned she noticed Ohtani play in two exhibition video games earlier than Wednesday and was stunned to see the gang sporting Ohtani jerseys whereas screaming his title.
“And when Ohtani got here out, everybody took their cameras out. I simply heard Ohtani, Ohtani the entire recreation just about,” mentioned the 27-year-old, who has been following the Japanese star since his skilled debut in 2018.
Extensively considered among the many greatest to have ever performed the sport, Ohtani was the MLB’s most coveted goal throughout the off season. In contrast to most gamers who concentrate on batting or pitching, Ohtani is equally expert at each disciplines, drawing comparisons with American baseball legend Babe Ruth.
He joined the LA Dodgers final December, signing a record-breaking 10-year, $700m (£552m) contract – the most important ever in MLB historical past. This made him one of many world’s highest-earning athletes.
His marriage announcement in February sparked a weeks-long guessing recreation on the id of his bride, cementing his standing as a high sports activities movie star.
Some followers say Ohtani even eclipsed South Korea’s personal MLB export, Ha-Seong Kim of the San Diego Padres.
“I am sorry. I completely respect Ha-Seong Kim as effectively, he is an outstanding participant too, however I feel Otani simply as a two approach participant and the data he is damaged the awards he is obtained – I feel there is a normal understanding for anybody who follows baseball and on the earth, simply anybody like he is such a unicorn,” mentioned Ms Kim, the fan from Seoul.
The 2-game collection will happen on Wednesday and Thursday, with each video games beginning at 19:00 native time (10:00 GMT).
It’s a part of the MLB’s world tour that goals to develop its international fan base. Eight of the MLB’s 30 groups are scheduled to play 4 collection in numerous cities, together with two London video games between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies in June.