Rams Roll Out Red Carpet For Shohei Ohtani Now That He Plays For The Other L.A. Team
The Los Angeles Rams rolled out the red carpet for new Los Angeles Dodgers DH and pitcher, Shohei Ohtani — celebrating Ohtani's arrival to L.A., as if the Japanese star wasn't a 45-minute drive from Inglewood for several years.
On Thursday, the latest addition to the Dodgers appeared at SoFi Stadium. After leaving the L.A. Angels (in Anaheim) for the Dodgers this offseason, the City of Angels is finally embracing calling Ohtani one of their own.
Rams players drew to Ohtani during warmups, eager to meet the new Dodger.
The Rams gifted Ohtani with a custom jersey sporting Ohtani's No. 17 jersey number, thus relegating Rams rookie wideout Puka Nacua to the second-best player to wear 17 on the team. The 10-year, $700 million deal to send Ohtani to the Dodgers launched L.A. sports fans into the stratosphere, even if Ohtani's a year or more away from pitching again.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 21: (L-R) Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers talks with agent Nez Balelo prior to the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on December 21, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers poses with the Los Angeles Rams mascot prior to the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Thursday. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Rams Welcome Shohei Ohtani Now That He's A Dodger, And Not An Angel
Murals of Ohtani are already popping up throughout Los Angeles, and the 2024 "championship or bust" talks have already spread around the Southland.
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. - A mural featuring newest Dodger player Shohei Ohtani by artist Gustavo Zermeño, Jr., left, is painted on the side wall of Ocean View Liquor store in Hermosa Beach on Tuesday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Ohtani's move to the Dodgers paid off immediately: giving L.A. a boost in luring Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow with a trade and new contract, and putting the Dodgers' front office one step closer to Japanese free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who's a friend of Ohtani's. Rumors about Ohtani's appearance on Thursday speculated that Yamamoto could also attend the event. The free agent did not appear at SoFi.
Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani (C) poses with Mark Walter (L), owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Andrew Friedman. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)