“I was nervous”- Shohei Ohtani reveals his true feelings on playing at Tokyo Dome on opening day

Shohei Ohtani

represented the

Los Angeles Dodgers

in his homeland in front of his own people during the two opening day games against the

Chicago Cubs

in Tokyo. The Dodgers went on to beat the Chicago Cubs in both games at the Tokyo Dome and enthralled the crowd, which not only consisted of Asian fans but also prominent names from the different sports fraternities. Recently, the Dodgers’ designated hitter opened up on his true feelings while facing a phenomenal crowd on the opening day against the Cubs in Tokyo.

Dodgers’ star Shohei Ohtani reveals his feelings on playing at the Tokyo Dome

After defeating the Chicago Cubs with a 4-1, the Dodgers clearly proved that not only do they have one of the strongest roster lineups but also that they are here to lift the ring once again for the 2025 season. Way before the Dodgers landed in Tokyo, Shohei Ohtani became the talk of the MLB town. From hosting a grand dinner for his teammates to becoming the first baseball athlete to join the Fortnite Series, all eyes were set on one of the most bankable stars of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Despite being one of the most popular Japanese hitters in MLB, it is difficult to digest that the 30-year-old was nervous while facing the Cubs at his home ground. During a post-game interview with MLB Network’s Harold Reynolds, Ohtani revealed his real feelings about playing at the Tokyo Dome, with almost half of the stadium packed with Dodgers fans in blue. Through the interpreter Will Ireton, Ohtani discussed his nerves to be back in Japan. He said-

“I usually don’t get nervous hitting. I was nervous for the first time in a while.”

Impressed by his terrific performance, not only did Ohtani’s teammates celebrate the Dodgers victory, but also club manager Dave Roberts shared a few words in praise of the designated hitter. During the post-game press conference, Roberts happily spoke about Shohei Ohtani and confessed that he was emotional on the field. He said-
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Shohei nervous, but one thing I did notice is how emotional he got during the Japanese national anthem. That was really something that was very telling—how emotional he was.”

Dodgers’ infielder Max Muncy praised the team spirit of Shohei Ohtani. Muncy said-
“That’s who he is. There’s no moment that’s too big for that guy. He hasn’t changed who he is. He’s a really cool guy to be a teammate with. He’s going to be talked about probably when he’s done being the greatest baseball player ever and he doesn’t act like it. He just likes to have fun in that dugout.”
During the second opening day match, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Cubs with an overall score of 3-6, sealing the games at the Tokyo Dome. With three important athletes, including

Mookie Betts

, Clayton Kershaw, and

Freddie Freeman

, missing out on the opening day match, the Dodgers proved that they are here to lift the ring again.