"Like traveling around with Michael Jackson" - Dodgers teammate predicts unmatched Shohei Ohtani hysteria in Japan at 2025 MLB Tokyo Series
Baseball fans in Japan are awaiting Shohei Ohtani's LA Dodgers to arrive at the Tokyo Dome to start their 2025 regular season at a place that's expected to be crowded, with their two-way star catching most of the spotlight. The two-game series will take place on March 18 and 19.
There will be a lot of buzz in that series against the Chicago Cubs, with several Japanese stars expected to feature in the contest. That includes Oshu native Ohtani, Bizen native Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Kitakyushu native Shota Imanaga and Arakawa native Seiya Suzuki.
Landon Knack, coming off a good rookie season with the Dodgers, said on the "Dodgers Dugout" podcast on Sunday about being a teammate with Ohtani off the camera and how the reigning MVP manages it all (25:24):
"I don't know if I've ever been around someone where you watch the entire fan base react whenever he walks by — even guys in their 40s and 50s are just losing their minds when this dude comes by."
Knack said that the atmosphere in Tokyo next year will be unreal, comparing it with the stardom of late popstar Michael Jackson.
"I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like in Japan at the start of next year," Knack added.
"It’s going to be like traveling around with Michael Jackson. It’s unbelievable to see how people react to him. But what’s even more impressive is how well he handles it all. He doesn’t seem to let any of it bother him; he just continues to do what he does. He still feels like such a normal guy."
Shohei Ohtani could return to the pitching mound in 2025
MLB teams have faced the might of Shohei Ohtani on the plate. Wait till he gets on the mound.
After not pitching during the entirety of the 2024 season, Ohtani is expected to pitch in 2025. He underwent elbow surgery in Sept. 2023, which restricted him from pitching activities this year. However, his rehab phase is getting to a close, and he might be available to pitch for the Dodgers in the 2025 season.
Ohtani underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair the labrum on his non-throwing left hand in early November after getting injured in Game 2 of the World Series, but it shouldn't affect his return to the mound
If Shohei Ohtani gets the nod, there's a chance that he could start against the Cubs at Tokyo Dome in front of his home fans.