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Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas Says Shohei Ohtani Is Not Exempt From Team Initiation

The Dodgers two-way star will still be put on the spot.
Tim Capurso|
Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas Says Shohei Ohtani Is Not Exempt From Team Initiation
Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas Says Shohei Ohtani Is Not Exempt From Team Initiation

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Los Angeles Dodgers

Not even two-time MVP winners are exempt from team initiation. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a specific routine for welcoming new players to their team, and they won't be making an exception for this offseason's grand prize Shohei Ohtani, who inked a 10-year, $700 million contract, a record deal in pro sports, back in December. 

Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas shared that the team has a tradition in which new players must tell a good story or they have to sit on the toilet of the team bus. Here's what Rojas had to say during an appearance on the Chris Rose Rotation podcast. 

"I'm telling you right now, Shohei. You better come prepared to your first bus trip because the rules are the rules. We want to know stories. How they become big major league players and how everything started in Japan," Rojas said. 

Rojas went on to explain the, er, unfortunate consequences of not telling a good story. It's clear from Rojas's words that the Dodgers are welcoming Ohtani with open arms—and not cutting him any slack when it comes to the unwritten rules. 

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.

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