- Shohei Ohtani is going through a difficult time, but leaves the debate wide open
- Shohei Ohtani's emotional photo to celebrate his wife Mamiko on Mother's Day
Without a doubt, the spotlight is on Shohei Ohtani, who has even become the face of Major League Baseball, but fans of America's pastime believe that MLB has already fallen into excesses that are very annoying and bordering on insulting.
No one denies that the Los Angeles Dodgers star is one of the most important players in the world, but he has reached the point of appearing as much or more than the artist Taylor Swift in NFL broadcasts.
Ohtani's talent is undeniable, but fans believe the league, by turning Mother's Day into the Japanese sensation's spotlight, has gone too far.
MLB introduces Shohei Ohtani's mom on social media
An image from May 14, 1999, appeared on Twitter when MLB shared a heartwarming photo of the Ohtani family on Mother's Day. Shohei is batting .305 with 12 home runs and 10 stolen bases, but this day is not about statistics.
MLB fans were quick to criticize the "meringue" with which this post from Ohtani's mom was adorned, which was the league's only post for this holiday.
MLB's official X posted a nostalgic photo from 1999 of a young Ohtani with his mother, Kayoko, celebrating Mother's Day. The caption read: "Mom will always be your biggest fan! Mother's Day."
While the image was touching, many fans felt that the league's focus on a single player detracts from the celebration, which is a moment meant to honor all mothers in the baseball world.
Instead of highlighting the various stories and tributes from players around the league, the post drew criticism, with fans accusing MLB of turning an emotional celebration into one for a single player.
The fans' reaction was not long in coming
MLB's social media team has consistently posted about Ohtani throughout his rise in the majors, as have many other major media outlets.
Now on the same X social network where the publication was made, comments of discontent and indignation immediately began to appear because of MLB's post on its , developing great antipathy towards the message promoted by the league.
These are some of the comments collected in this regard:
- @JLas43 posted: "I expect a post like this from every MLB player, thank you." MLB has not followed up on this, which is not surprising considering the number of players in the league.
- @CincyHub added: "Somehow, we still make Mother's Day about Shohei."
- @MoneyMosh12 commented: "Why do we have to make Mother's Day about Ohtani?".
- @TheMLBDigest said: "We owe it all to the moms! Hope everyone's moms have a wonderful day."
- @WockyUnits said: "Enough of this guy!". @BaseballGodzilla added: "Wrong, whoever runs this is his biggest fan".
Shohei Ohtani means a million-dollar investment for the Dodgers
Now in his second year with the Dodgers, Ohtani stayed in Los Angeles after g a 10-year, $700 million contract with the team in December 2023.
Unlike most other teams, the Dodgers found a way to defer money throughout the roster, allowing them to accumulate many of the biggest names in baseball.
Mother's Day should undoubtedly be more about the wonderful mothers who raised these athletes. With professional baseball players working on more holidays than most other athletes, days like this are even more meaningful for those involved.