Top 10 things Shohei Ohtani swears by in day to day life
The current hype surrounding Shohei Ohtani's name is defeaning. Possibly the most high-profile free agent in a generation, the speculation as to where the 29-year old goes next is unrivaled.
Already an MVP Award winner, Ohtani is widely expected to capture the honors again when the 2023 Awards are announced next week. Despite missing the last month of the season, Ohtani still managed to finish with the AL's highest on-base percentage, slugging, and number of home runs. Moreover, he Ohtani finished with a record of 10-5 and a 3.14 in 23 starts.
While injuries will shut his pitching arm down until 2025, Shohei Ohtani is still expected to receive offers exceeding $500 million. In harmony with the endless coverage of Ohtani, let's revisit his 2022 interview with GQ Magazine in which the Los Angeles Angels star discussed 10 items that he cannot live without.
Ten things that Shohei Ohtani (probably still) can't live without
10. iPad
From viewing plays to breaking down pitches, the prevalence of iPads in ML dugouts has exploded in recent years. For Shohei Ohtani, keeping tabs of scheduling, as well as personal communication, are jobs for his iPad.
9. Pillow
A team like the Los Angeles Angels have a lot of travel to contend with, by virtue of where they are based. It is essential for Ohtani to be taken care of by his form-fitting pillow during the excessive amount of travel days in an MLB season.
8. Cell Phone
Just like everyone else.
"2023 PitchingNinja Award: Pitch of the Year. Winner: Shohei Ohtani's Sweeper K'ing Mike Trout to win the World Baseball Classic." - Rob Friedman
7. Ready-made icepack
Perhaps the most obscure item on the list, Shohei Ohtani swears that a personal ice maker is a machine that never leaves his side. Programmed to freeze water into ice anywhere, all you need is a power source to get going.
6. Glove/Bat
While Ohtani remains an incredible pitcher, teams will be pursuing him for his bat. Using his trademark GoldStage Japanese Maple Bat, Ohtani became the first 100-strikeout pitcher to record at least 100 RBIs.
"Shohei Ohtani did many more amazing things this year and this majestic home run with SEVEN SECONDS of hang time was one of them."- Codify
4. Cleats
Shohei Ohtani wears the same shoes whether he's hitting or fielding. He credits the lateral ability of his footwear as a prime reason for his on-field agility.
3. Heart rate monitor
As an elite athlete, Ohtani needs to make sure that he stays at the top of his game. As such, he is part of the ever-growing cohort of professional athletes, especially MLB players, who have started to wear on-body monitors since the league legalized them in 2016.
2. Compression pants
Used to alter the bloodflow to certain parts of the body, many believe compression pants improve the circulation of blood in the body, and has many health benefits. Perhaps Ohtani could lend a pair to teammate Mike Trout.
1. Weighted sleep mask
Similarly to the pillow, the weighted sleep mask ensures that Ohtani can maximize his sleep. After a cross-country flight to play the Boston Red Sox, Ohtani could ensure that he caught all the sleep he needed on the not-so-red eye back to LA.
"Shohei’s brown eyes and beautiful expressions" - shoheisaveus