It was all turning into a “storybook” moment for Shohei Ohtani. On Tuesday, he signed a bat with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Dave Roberts, which will be showcased in the Hall of Fame’s exhibit to recognize Japanese baseball in the US. It was the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Japanese Heritage Night, and Ohtani had made the most of it with his massive two-run homer. That was his 27th of the season, but then, something unfortunate happened.

One of the biggest traditions in baseball is for fans to fight to get a chance to catch the ball. This time was no different, until before a bizarre moment took off. The fans were caught in applause when Shotime hit a massive 433-foot homer but then came a loud gasp. The ball slipped through every hand and hit a young kid’s head. Adding to this unforeseen moment, the exit velocity of that ball was recorded at 112 mph.

It isn’t new for Ohtani to turn big moments into even bigger ones. As Dave Roberts said via MLB.com, “Shohei is very storybook. It seems whenever there’s anticipation for something to happen, it happens.” And Roberts was proved right once again. Although the ball wouldn’t have landed with that much power, it must have undoubtedly hurt the kid. 

What makes this an even bigger coincidence is that just two at-bats before, Ohtani, too, felt that pain. A pitch hit Shotime’s right foot, and the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was spotted howling as the audience watched with concern. So one can imagine just how unfortunate that situation must have been for the young kid, with social media users already imagining it. Since the video was posted, it quickly went viral as multiple fans started sharing their opinions about the incident.

From lifetime bans to hoping for a Dodgers gift, fans have a varied reaction

Though everything related to Shohei Ohtani goes viral immediately, this was on a different level. “Lifetime ban for every uncoordinated fan in a 2-seat radius,” wrote a user. One can imagine a few people missing the ball, but everyone missing it seems rather strange. Just one hand and the kid might not have had to feel the abrupt pain of being hit by a baseball.

“Don’t worry they will find out who he is and give him signed stuff and meet Shohei the kid will be just fine,” another fan commented, which is certainly a logical take. Just a few months ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers gave the fans who caught Shohei Ohtani’s first home run a VIP treatment (though it was more of an apology gesture). So, could the kid get something similar for himself? That would surely be a memorable moment for the young fan.

“Awesome story for the kid to tell for the rest of his life,” thought another commenter. Too quick to say, but it’s true; after all, how many people can claim that they got hit by a rocket ball sent by Shohei Ohtani? But again, even if it becomes a great story later, as of now, it’s one painful beginning for the kid.

Fans on Reddit, too, had some great reactions, with many having a rather sarcastic take on the situation. “Look at the grin on the face as he hurts that child. The whole dugout was celebrating. Disgusting,” wrote one fan. While that pointed at this unfortunate video editing mishap, it certainly makes for a comedic take. For a moment, baseball turned into an episode of ‘Family Guy’ for the enthusiasts on Reddit, credit to the pouring in comments.

“Ohtani hates children confirmed,” joked another user. Though Shohei Ohtani is absolutely brilliant, is he good enough to hit a ball with such precision and pin-point accuracy that it hits a specific fan in the stands? Maybe not. But then, that’s what makes this joke so funny because, in reality, Ohtani has always adored kids. He’s perhaps the biggest inspiration for Japanese kids today.

While a rather memorable moment for Ohtani turned infamous due to one mishap, many enthusiasts also wished good health for that young kid. Do you think his pain might eventually translate into a potential meeting with Shotime? Share your take in the comments below.