Shohei Ohtani has developed a massive fan following during his MLB career so far. He is one of the League’s premier two-way players, having a massive impact while both batting and pitching. His style of play has attracted comparisons to MLB legend Babe Ruth. Since joining the Los Angeles Angels in 2018, Ohtani’s fanbase has only grown over the years.
But despite all the fan attention, the Japanese sensation has managed to stay grounded. Furthermore, he is laser-focused when it comes to playing games. Ohtani recently revealed his secret to focusing on baseball despite the massive number of fans clamoring for his attention.
Shohei Ohtani keeps fan interactions separate from playing baseball
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Japanese two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani has taken baseball by storm with his elite play. During a recent interview with MLB legend Mark Gubicza, the two-way sensation revealed his secret to staying focused on the game. He said that he appreciates the fan attention, and he has learned to keep that separate from playing baseball. Bally Sports West shared a video of the interaction on Twitter.
It's no surprise Shohei Ohtani is one of the most popular athletes in the world. But how does one deal with that?@Angels | @Markgubicza pic.twitter.com/xcCB7Tu9by
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) March 3, 2023
According to a translator who interpreted his words directly, Ohtani said “You know all the attention I get, I take that. As a baseball player, I think it’s better to have more attention than not. So, I’m very thankful for that, for all the fans. I feel I’m pretty good at separating like that, from the game itself. When it comes to baseball, I can focus straight on the game. And when it comes to like communicating with the fans, I can focus on that. So, I try to think of it as like two separate things.”
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This is a great method that the Japanese superstar has devised to stay focused. It will help him stay focused on his game in the years to come. But Ohtani may need this laser focus sooner than he thinks.
Ohtani will hit free agency after the 2023 MLB season
Shohei Ohtani is set to hit free agency after the 2023 MLB season. This will cause huge distractions as fans, followers and even analysts will want to know where he plans to sign. Ohtani will need to focus during the 2023 season ahead of the biggest decision of his career.
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Watch this story: From Serena Williams to Shohei Ohtani: Biggest stars who won AP Athlete of the year before Aaron Judge
Fans are divided over rumors of a $500 million contract for the Angels star. But it looks likely that he may earn a pact around that figure. What do you think of Shohei Ohtani’s secret to focusing on playing games and winning? Please share your thoughts down below!