"It was pretty powerful and very emotional" - MLB Analyst Ben Verlander describes witnessing Shohei Ohtani's huge fandom in Japan during his 10-day trip to All-Star's hometown
MLB analyst Ben Verlander was stunned to witness LA Angels star Shohei Ohtani's huge fanbase in his home country, Japan, during a 10-day visit.
The analyst went to Japan to shoot for Fox Sports' show "Searching for Shohei: An Interview Special." It will be released on Oct. 18. Verlander was astounded by the love and support given to the Japanese sensation back home. In an interview with US Today Sports, Verlander said:
"I didn’t know what was going to happen, I didn’t know what we’d get. But it was the most powerful story, what he means to everyone in Japan, and at the same time, what I mean. Without sounding too mushy and sentimental, everybody wants to have a purpose." (via USA Today)
Verlander continued to speak on Shohei Ohtani:
"I thought my purpose was to play baseball, and play it as long as I can. But I learned that even though my baseball career is over, I still matter. I learned that is what I was meant to do, talking about my love for the game, helping grow the game. It was pretty powerful and very emotional."
Ohtani first played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters before he made the move to LA. Verlander even admitted that he didn't understand the magnitude of Ohtani's presence in Japan. The star's podcast was viewed more than any other sport in Japan during his visit.
Ben Verlander describes fans flocking in big numbers for him while on visit with Shohei Ohtani
Verlander himself was a third-team All-American as a pitcher and outfielder for Old Dominion. During his visit, he was amazed with the reception he received from the Japanese fans, with small kids also making the trip to meet the MLB analyst.
He described his love for the Japanese people, adding that people traveled long distances to get a glimpse of him:
"When I got over there, I was blown away by the response. The response was unbelievable. There were grown adults coming to see me, some traveling four hours, coming to see me for meet-ups. There were gifts, magazines, posts with my picture on them."
Verlander is the brother of Justin Verlander, who currently plays for the Houston Astros. The league's popularity increased in Japan after Ohtani joined the Angels in 2018. Ohtani recently signed a $30 million contract to stay with the team until 2023.
Shohei Ohtani has surely gone on to become one of the best two-way players since shifting base from Japan as he aims to retain the AL MVP in 2022.