Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers are preparing to take the field for Game 1 of the World Series.
Ohtani has taken Major League Baseball by storm since entering the league with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018, but his move to play for the Dodgers has only increased his popularity.
His remarkable season in his first year with the Dodgers shows just how talented the Japanese-born player is.
Proof of his growing popularity is shown by a 150-foot mural painted on his behalf in the Little Tokyo area of Los Angeles.
LA Rising painter Robert Vargas recently explained what the mural signifies.
“All about representation, unity, and where else do you see a 150-foot mural of an Asian man in the heart of the city,” Vargas said, via MLB on X.
In the Los Angeles neighborhood of Little Tokyo, the Shohei Ohtani effect has taken full hold. 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/ebalHvcaYe
— MLB (@MLB) October 24, 2024
Vargas painted the mural on the Miyako Hotel and said it gives Little Tokyo a face right in downtown Los Angeles.
This year, Ohtani batted .310 with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, 59 stolen bases and a 1.036 OPS, becoming the first player in history with at least 50 homers and 50 steals in the same season.
The Far Bar in Little Tokyo offers free beverages for every Ohtani home run, along with a cocktail named Showtime.
Ohtani has become one of the most popular players in the game, and he will become even more popular if he can perform well in the World Series.
The Ohtani effect has taken over L.A., and the city will be rooting for the Dodgers to take home the World Series title.
