Los Angeles Angels fans react to Shohei Ohtani’s lack of media availability: "Fully support him ignoring the media if that’s his preference"

Los Angeles Angels phenom Shohei Ohtani is rankling sportswriters by rarely making himself available for postgame interviews.

And MLB fans do not care.

Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register griped about Ohtani rarely availing himself to the throng of sportswriters crawling around the locker room after Angels games.

"This is a major issue ... We talk to him after he pitches and occasionally after he has a good performance at the plate," Fletcher said on the "Foul Territory" podcast Thursday. "And when I say 'occasionally,' I mean four times a year."

"This is a major issue ... We talk to him after he pitches and occasionally after he has a good performance at the plate. And when I say 'occasionally' I mean four times a year."

@JeffFletcherOCR on Shohei Ohtani's lack of media availability with the Angels

#FTLive ▶️… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/iSBrAdW9mV

What Fletcher considers a major issue barely registers with the vast majority of those following the sport.

Many fans point to the fact that Shohei Ohtani, a native of Japan, must speak to media through an interpreter. It's not like he grew up in Orange County.

@FoulTerritoryTV @JeffFletcherOCR Nah. Fully support him ignoring the media if that's his preference.

@FoulTerritoryTV @JeffFletcherOCR Personally I love how private Shohei is. In a world where every athlete tries to bludgeon us on social media with their personal brand, it’s refreshing to see. On the field and endorsements is how we know him. It makes him more mysterious and interesting. Like Michael Jordan.

@FoulTerritoryTV @JeffFletcherOCR I think it's incredibly healthy for an athlete at this level to shut out the noise as much as possible. Every time his answers get lost in translation there's some big click bait reaction. What's in it for him in that?

Shohei Ohtani has captivated MLB fans like few others have in the history of the game. He has become the rarest of players, an athlete who is able to transcend the sport he plays.

Ohtani's accomplishments are truly that of legend as the 2021 American League Most Valuable Player zeroes in on winning his second MVP honor this season after narrowly finishing second to New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge in 2022.

As long as he keeps doing what he's doing on the field, most fans could care less if he hides out from the media.

@FoulTerritoryTV @ErikKratz31 @JeffFletcherOCR I just want to watch him play baseball. I honestly don’t care if he doesn’t talk to the media.

@FoulTerritoryTV @JeffFletcherOCR It should help his value. A lot of players talk to much and it effects their game. Id rather have a guy be good on the field and not say dumb stuff to the media. Beingg lowkey should boost his value

@FoulTerritoryTV @JeffFletcherOCR Who can blame any player for not wanting to be involved in the media? Baseball media is, on average, really awful! Yankees media comes to mind. Love the guys who cover the Angels though super down to earth.

Shohei Ohtani ranks in the top three in all of MLB in both homers hit (21) and strikeouts tossed (102). Baseball fans from around the country – and the globe – remain amazed at the achievements that the two-way player is able to accomplish in his sixth major league season.

@FoulTerritoryTV @JeffFletcherOCR This show is getting so annoying. No need to pressure/guilt trip him to talk if he doesn’t want to. Everything he says gets twisted and edited anyway to paint some narrative for clickbait content that ppl like this would put out. Just let him focus on his stuff

@FoulTerritoryTV @JeffFletcherOCR It’s a privilege you get to ask him questions that one time a week.

Keep this up and the fans will be rooting for https://t.co/o8JlXmmGp7

@FoulTerritoryTV @JeffFletcherOCR That sounds like a you problem not a shohei problem

While it is unusual for a player to not avail himself to the media, neither the Angels nor their fans seem to mind Ohtani keeping mostly quiet and letting his play do the talking.

@FoulTerritoryTV @JeffFletcherOCR This is not common for anyone else in @MLB

Shohei Ohtani and Babe Ruth in very exclusive club

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels waves to fans before a game against the Texas Rangers.

Ohtani and Babe Ruth are the only players in MLB history to hit 100 home runs and strike out 500 batters.

Ohtani has a long way to go to match Ruth in both home runs and strikeouts. However, he is rising to Ruthian levels of popularity as a major league player. Millions follow his efforts from game to game, not just in North America, but throughout the world.