How did Braves fans respond to Shohei Ohtani?
The Atlanta Braves took on the Los Angeles Angles in a three-game set at Truist Park in Atlanta earlier this week. The Braves were victorious in two of the games, but a much bigger storyline existed throughout the series.
Shohei Ohtani, a two-way superstar, has earned his spot as the face of the game. The 2021 AL MVP is having another historic season, slashing .310/.413/.685 with 40 home runs. On the mound, Ohtani boasts a 9-5 record with a 3.32 ERA and 160 strikeouts in 124.2 innings of work.
The native of Oshu, Japan hits the free agent market this offseason and is expected to land the richest contract in MLB history. The Braves are among the list of potential candidates to land baseball's biggest superstar.
Braves fans would without a doubt be thrilled to see Ohtani ink a deal with the Braves, as would be the case with any team.
Ohtani is well-liked by baseball fans everywhere and Atlanta is no different. Each time Ohtani stepped up to the plate this week, cheers echoed around the ballpark, sometimes even louder than the cheers for Braves players.
Braves fans even (jokingly?) booed manager Brian Snitker when he called for an intentional walk of Ohtani in Monday's 4-1 Angels win.
(Snitker responded: "No, I get it. He's such a force, man. [...] You are very aware of that man.")
Braves fans responded well to Ohtani. Could that serve as a recruiting tool when it comes time for Ohtani to make a decision? Absolutely.
Surely it would take some of the pressure off not needing to completely win over a new fan base, but Ohtani has proven he can handle pressure well.
For more, from June 2023: What if Shohei Ohtani chose the Atlanta Braves in free agency?
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