Shohei Ohtani (29, Los Angeles Dodgers), the "greatest baseball star alive," has finished two games in the Gocheok Dome without producing a hit. But the roar of fans chanting for him grew louder.
Ohtani went 0-for-3 as the No. 2 designated hitter in an exhibition game against the Korea National Baseball Team for the 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) Seoul Series at the Gocheok SkyDome in Guro-gu, Seoul, on Monday.
After going 2-for-2 with a walk and two strikeouts against the Kiwoom Heroes the day before, Ohtani was unable to produce a hit in his final exhibition game before the 2024 MLB regular season opens with a two-game series against the San Diego Padres on April 20-21 at the Gocheok SkyDome.
In two games, Ohtani is 0-for-5 with a walk and two strikeouts.
Ohtani stepped to the plate with one out in the bottom of the first inning. Even before he reached the plate, the Gocheok Dome was filled with chants of "Ohtani".
Mamiko Tanaka, who was sitting in the stands on the first base side, looked over at Ohtani with a slight smile. She swung wildly at a 153 mph fastball up and away from the 토토 right-handed Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears) in the first inning.
The second pitch, a 153 mph fastball, was fouled off the plate. Ohtani picked off a 155 mph fastball that was high and in, and Mookie Betts stole second base. With a chance to score, Oh hit Kwak Bin's 135 mph changeup outside the zone and turned it into a grounder to third base.
Kwak Bin, who was hit by a double by Ohtani in Japan at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) last March, was hoping for a return match before the Seoul Series.
"Even if I get hit again, I'll pitch my heart out with no regrets," said Kwak, who mixed a changeup with a fastball that topped out at 155 mph.
In his second at-bat of the inning, Oh faced left-hander Lee Yi-ri (KIA Tigers).
With the bases loaded, Oh took a 145 mph sinker from Lee but it was caught on a routine fly ball to left field. With two outs in the fourth inning, Oh hit a first-pitch slider from left-hander Oh Won-seok (SSG Landers), but the grounder went straight to second baseman Kim Hye-sung.
Ohtani no longer batted, but instead cheered on his teammates from the dugout. Ohtani will try to get his first hit at Gocheok Dome in the regular-season opener on Tuesday.
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