LA beats Colorado, 9-5, to begin four-game series
Dodgers blue vastly outnumbered Rockies purple inside Coors Field on Monday.
Welcome to the Shohei Ohtani show.
The Los Angeles designated hitter, in a 9-5 road win over Colorado, ripped a second-inning RBI single. It elicited a huge cheer from masses wearing No. 17 jerseys. Ohtani went 3-for-5 on the night with two doubles.
The biggest MLB free agent signing in history — with a record $700-million contract — draws a huge crowd in every city. He’s also idolized by millions of fans back in his native Japan.
What’s it like for L.A. teammates to witness Ohtani’s mega-stardom up close?
“I kind of feel bad for him. He can pretty much have no life outside the baseball field. That can be tough,” Dodgers third baseman Kiké Hernández told The Denver Gazette pregame. “The best way I can describe what it feels like to see that, is like being part of The Beatles.”
Ohtani did not speak Monday with local media in Colorado. He does not regularly talk with even Dodgers beat reporters. Yet the spotlight on his every move remains bright, especially while facing personal misfortune.
His ex-interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, pleaded guilty earlier this month to bank and tax fraud charges. Federal authorities allege Mizuhara wired nearly $17 million from Ohtani’s account to pay off gambling debts. Ohtani was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.
His baseball performance has not suffered as a result.
Ohtani entered a four-game series against the Rockies this week batting .309 with 86 hits and 19 home runs. Ohtani led L.A.’s batting order on Monday night with perennial All-Star Mookie Betts expected to miss up to eight weeks with a wrist injury. Ohtani won’t pitch again until 2025 as he recovers from elbow surgery.
“For Shohei, just continue doing what he’s doing. I don’t expect him to change (as the leadoff hitter),” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said pregame. “When he hits to the big part of the field, he’s very good. … Shohei can hit it out of any ballpark.”
The floundering Rockies (25-47) are nowhere close to matching the NL West leading Dodgers (45-29).
They can still appreciate Ohtani’s greatness as a generational MLB talent.
“He’s exciting, right? There’s probably a handful of players who bring that, maybe more, but I think he brings it to another level,” manager Bud Black said pregame. “Just because of the hype around him, probably even more so when he pitches. He’s ultra-talented, he’s doing things over the last five years that nobody’s done. He’s phenomenal, he really is. Speed, power, average — it’s really spectacular.”
