Shohei Ohtani arrived in Japan on Thursday night, but he was taken away before any of the hundreds of fans who traveled to Haneda Airport in Tokyo could meet him or any of the Dodgers from Los Angeles.
A large audience gathered at Tokyo Dome on Friday afternoon to see the Dodgers practice in preparation for the Tokyo Series, marking the farewell appearance of baseball’s biggest star. Just before 4:30 p.m., to applause from the spectators, he jogged onto the field, giving the supporters their first glimpse of him.
Five of the biggest names in Japan will play in the Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs MLB season opener. Nevertheless, the series feels in many respects like a celebration of Ohtani, who gets the great majority of the attention.
from the media and supporters.
Sitting between pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki during a press conference, Ohtani declared, “I’m really looking forward to it.” “I want to overcome jet lag right now. The Cubs have (Shota) Imanaga and (Seiya) Suzuki in addition to these two. I would like to watch the Japanese players perform for the Japanese fans. I want the viewers to experience the strength and pace of the major leagues, as there are other top-tier players than the Japanese.
Before playing each other in two MLB regular-season games, the Dodgers and Cubs, who also worked out at the Big Egg on Friday, will play exhibition games against the Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants.
“We’re thrilled to be able to play two Japanese teams,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “That is, I think, just fascinating for us to see a different style of baseball, to learn about the stadium, to play in front of the fans for a couple days.”
The games also serve as a homecoming for Roberts, who was born on Okinawa to a Japanese mother.
“For me, it’s personal, because I get to also represent my mom’s side of the family,” he joked.
“I have memories of watching major league games at Tokyo Dome on TV when I was young,” Yamamoto told reporters. “I will be pleased if I can have a beneficial impact on as many individuals as possible.
“I feel that a lot of people are looking forward to it, and I’m looking forward to it more than usual, so I want to be in the best condition possible.”
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