Apparently, home runs and strikeouts aren’t the only ways Shohei Ohtani can completely ruin an opponent’s day.
Just ask the Mets, who unexpectedly felt the wrath of one of the Angels superstar’s foul balls, and let him hear about it, early in Saturday’s game at Citi Field.
Ohtani, who’s playing through a torn UCL, showed off his power in the first inning after sending an 88 mph Carlos Carrasco pitch flying down the right-field line and into foul territory. As the hit continued to veer, the ball suddenly crashed into an auxiliary video board, breaking one of its panels in the process.
Naturally, Ohtani’s amazingly accurate hit could’ve simply been written off as a simple accident. However, the Mets and their production team seemed to have a different idea in mind as they delivered a blunt message to the three-time All-Star about the damage.
“We’re sending you the bill for that, Shohei,” wrote the Mets to Ohtani in a message on the Citi Field scoreboard, per the New York Post.
Shohei Ohtani knocked out a bulb in the scoreboard on a long foul ball.
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 26, 2023
Ohtani later doubled to right-center. pic.twitter.com/0kQmIDA4gD
On a night where Ohtani played just his second game in Queens, the former AL MVP managed to find a different way to dazzle the droves of fans in attendance, even if it devastated Mets ownership.
Of course, while the club seems upset with Ohtani now, all would likely easily be forgotten given the gigantic spotlight the 29-year-old would bring should he decide to bring his talents to the Mets as a free agent after the season.
