Watch: Shohei Ohtani laughs off the boos at Citi Field while booing himself during introduction
Shohei Ohtani might be one of the most talented and popular players in baseball. There is no denying the impact that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar has had on not only his team's success but on the fanbase across the globe, leading the MLB in jersey sales in both 2023 and 2024.
However, there was no love lost on Wednesday night at Citi Field as the home crowd welcomed Shohei Ohtani in the most New York way possible. The two-time American League MVP was greeted by a shower of boos by the Mets fan in NLCS Game 3.
But in typical Ohtani fashion, he took it all in his stride. The Dodgers star not only smiled as the boos rained down, he actually joined in, booing himself as he was introduced before the game.
Wednesday's action between the Dodgers and the New York Mets is an intriguing one as both teams have been able to pick up a victory in the championship series.
If the New York fans were hoping to get into Ohtani's head before the Game 3 matchup, it doesn't appear to have worked given the Japanese star's smile while being booed.
Despite the massive pressure of the postseason, Ohtani appears unphased. During the NLDS against the San Diego Padres, Shohei was caught on camera not only slapping his teammates on the behind, but also requesting it to happen to him so he didn't miss out.
Ohtani's ability to let loose in pressure situations might be one of the reasons why he has been so successful. It will be interesting to see if this changes if the Los Angeles Dodgers reach the World Series.
Shohei Ohtani has been in a bit of a slump for the Dodgers
It appears that Shohei Ohtani may have locked up the third MVP Award of his career thanks to his historic 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases season. While the Japanese superstar was seemingly impossible to beat at the plate during the regular season, he has struggled a bit in his first career postseason.
While Ohtani was able to crush a home run in Game 1 of the NLDS, he has yet to send a ball into the crowd since. It's not only a lack of power that right now for Ohtani, but he is also struggling to rack up hits like he had throughout the year.
In 28 at-bats this postseason, Ohtani has a disappointing .214 batting average; however, given his talent, it may not be long before he is back at his MVP level.