Shohei Otani’s fan appreciation day brings “excitement about the start of the season”[Super J Channel](February 1, 2026)

Shohei Otani (31) appeared in front of fans for the first time in a while at a fan appreciation event. In the interview, he rarely showed his face as a father. ■Shohei Ohtani Fan Appreciation Day At the Dodgers Fan Appreciation Day, you can take commemorative photos with the World Series Champion Trophy and interact with the players. The biggest highlight is the talk show by the players. Shohei Otani and pitcher Aki Sasaki appeared as the top batters. We were surrounded by loud cheers. On this day, Otani also touched on a side of being a father that he doesn’t often talk about. Otani: “I’ve been looking forward to it every day because I’ve been growing day by day.” “(Q. What are the strengths and weaknesses of being a father?) I think it’s fun for her because she has a higher position than others. That’s an advantage, and I don’t know what her weaknesses are. I’ll have to ask my wife.” When asked about his goals for this season… Otani: “I think it would be great if I could steal bases, hit home runs, strike out, and do all of that.”Then, the topic took a surprising turn. Otani: “(Q. How many onigiri do you eat on game day?) I don’t know. Yoshinobu Yamamoto eats the most onigiri.” ■ “Excitement at the start of the season.” On the other hand, there were moments of confusion during interviews after the event. Dodgers reporter Watson: “Everyone, please don’t push. Please take a step back. Everyone, please take a step back.” A large number of reporters had gathered due to the high level of interest in the world-famous star. Still, Otani took the excitement positively. Otani: “(Q. About the large number of media?) It’s been a while since I’ve seen so many cars (of reporters) parked in the parking lot, so I’m getting more excited about the season starting.” Otani also talked about his thoughts on the WBC. Otani: “There is nothing better than winning the championship as a representative of Japan, so I want to work hard to achieve that goal.” Manager Roberts also explained that Otani will avoid appearing in the WBC at his own discretion. It looks like he will focus on playing as a batter.
[テレ朝NEWS] https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp