Shohei Ohtani can win over fans anywhere—even when they’re rooting for the opposition.
The Angels superstar dazzled on the road against the Orioles on Monday, throwing seven innings on the mound while going 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs at the plate. Attracting boos with that type of torment against the host team is to be expected. But in the ninth inning, Baltimore fans rained down their displeasure for Ohtani for an entirely different reason.
When Ohtani stepped to the plate for his final at-bat, he did so needing a double to complete the cycle. That would have made him the first player to accomplish the feat during an MLB game in which he was the starting pitcher. When Ohtani managed only a single—his fifth time on base for the night—Orioles fans shirked their loyalty to their team and loudly bemoaned missing out on history.
That’s right. They booed when he failed to hit for the cycle against the home team.
Even the fans in Baltimore want to see that cycle 🤣@Angels | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/wUeQUGtiAY
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) May 16, 2023
It’s become commonplace for Ohtani to make history on a seemingly regular basis, and fans across the country typically flock to the ballpark on nights when he’s slated to pitch and show off his two-way prowess. Monday night was the latest example of how, even when he’s nearly single-handedly beating your favorite team, you can’t help but pull for Ohtani to do something incredible.
