Shohei Ohtani amused MLB fans with his eating habits as the Los Angeles Dodgers secured a 2-0 lead over the New York Yankees in the World Series on Saturday.
The Dodgers superstar suffered an injury during the game and enjoyed a snack in the dugout as he watched his team beat the Yankees 4-2.
During the broadcast, Ohtani was shown spitting into a cup instead of the ground while hanging out near the Dodgers’ bench, leaving social media users shocked at his etiquette.
“Ohtani is so neat he doesn’t even spill his seeds on the ground,” an X user captioned the segment from the broadcast.
‘That’s called respect. Which a lot of people in this country don’t have,” wrote another.
Shohei Ohtani’s eating habits left MLB fans baffled in Game 2 of the 2024 World Series
‘He’s Japanese! Japan is a very clean country,” said a third. ‘There are literally no rubbish bins on the streets and most people carry their rubbish with them until they can safely dispose of it. I had to walk around with an empty coffee cup in my hand for almost an hour.’
‘Japanese culture. My Japanese friend said they were raised to think ‘we have a small island, we have to keep it clean.’ It’s beautiful,” said a fourth.
A fifth also reiterated that Ohtani’s customs are “something Americans will never understand.”
Ohtani’s unfortunate early exit from the game was caused by a partial dislocation of his left shoulder while attempting to steal second base.
Still, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expects Ohtani to play in Game 3 on Monday.
Ohtani sat out the remainder of the game after injuring his shoulder while attempting to steal the base
“He’s playing tomorrow,” Roberts told ESPN on Sunday. “That’s my expectation when I talk to the training staff and get the reports.
“If it’s a pain tolerance situation, I just don’t see him playing Game 3.”
After signing a lucrative 10-year contract worth $700 million, Ohtani was left off the injured list this year. In addition, he achieved a historic season and became the first member of the 50/50 club in September.
In 13 games this postseason, Ohtani hit .260/.403/.460 with three home runs and 10 RBIs, but no stolen bases.
“I think he’s obviously very aware of himself and his body,” Roberts added. “So if he feels well enough to go, I see no reason why he shouldn’t be there.”