GLENDALE, Ariz. – It was the shot heard ‘round the world – as everything Shohei Ohtani does is.
Ohtani took live batting practice for the first time this spring on Monday, facing pitchers for the first time since his elbow surgery last September. He stood in for five pitches from Ryan Brasier without swinging. Against Blake Treinen, he fouled the first pitch off his foot then later swung and missed to end a five-pitch at-bat.
But in the final round of live at-bats, Ohtani ended a five-pitch at-bat by sending a fastball from J.P. Feyereisen over the center field fence – a meaningless home run nonetheless documented by dozens of reporters and so many cameras that several photographers set up beyond the center field fence. A live broadcast back to Japan might have drawn good ratings – even though it would have aired at 4 a.m. there.
Feyereisen got a text from teammate Evan Phillips immediately after surrendering Ohtani’s first home run as a Dodger.
“Evan said I should go get the baseball and get it signed by him,” Feyereisen said with a smile.
Ohtani declined to speak with the media following his first live batting practice session of the spring – leaving Feyereisen to look up startled to be surrounded by dozens of reporters when he reached his locker after the workout.
“You look at him in the box and it’s like everybody is dead quiet,” Feyereisen said. “‘Shohei is hitting, let’s go watch him’. It’s cool seeing the following of his and obviously to see him play is awesome.”
Feyereisen didn’t realize his potential co-starring role in Monday’s big media moment.
“I didn’t even know I was facing him, honestly,” he said. “It was just kind of a live BP and there were like 10 hitters in the lineup and these are the guys you could possibly face. When he steps inside the box, he’s just another hitter. That’s how you’re supposed to see it. Obviously with the following that he has, it’s a little different. But…
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