The Japanese MLA Prodigy, Shohei Ohtani is a professional baseball designated hitter, outfielder, and pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels. Nicknamed “The Unicorn” and Shotime, Ohtani was drafted into the Nippon Professional Baseball and later in 2018, moved on to the Major Leagues Baseball. He is counted among the very few players who can do both, pitching and batting.
But that isn’t the most remarkable thing about him. The five-time NPB All-Star does not speak English. Though he does understand some words and phrases, when it comes to talking fluently, Ohtani lags behind.
In an interview with GQ, the Japanese two-way superstar recently explained why he prefers to speak Japanese rather than English during his interviews. He said, “If I could speak English, I would speak English. Of course, I would want to do that. Obviously, there would be no negatives that would come from that.”
Shohei Ohtani explained that he came to the United States to play baseball and that’s what matters to him as his game on the field is enough to communicate with the people and fans. Since he doesn’t speak English, Ohtani prefers to keep an interpreter by his side while he speaks in Japanese.
Ohtani revealed to his teammates that he interacts well with them and the coach. He mostly uses broken English phrases that are not fluent. And for Latin players, he prefers to use Spanish words to communicate on a better note.
After getting drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in 2017, Ohtani moved to the United States. It’s been six years now, and he still hasn’t managed to learn English. In places where he has to speak English, he does it through a translator.
Shohei Ohtani received criticism from Stephen A. Smith
During an episode of First Take in July, Stephen A. Smith from ESPN ranted about how Ohtani’s interpreter uses it to contribute to harming baseball in America.
He said, “This brother is special, make no mistake about it. But the fact that you’ve got a foreign player that doesn’t speak English, that needs an interpreter—believe it or not, I think contributes to harming the game to some degree, when that’s your box office appeal.”
Stephen A. Smith says Shohei Ohtani needing an interpreter “contributes to harming” baseball 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/2J5jRGartx
— Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) July 12, 2021
The MLA prodigy, Shohei Ohtani took a high road on this controversy and not stretched it any further. He responded by saying, “Of course I would want to. Obviously, it wouldn’t hurt to be able to speak English. There would only be positive things to come from that. But I came here to play baseball, at the end of the day, and I’ve felt like my play on the field could be my way of communicating with the people, with the fans.”
Shohei Ohtani is notable as the first player in the history of MLA to make the All-Star team in the pitcher position. He is the biggest star today, in Major League Baseball and received the third-highest percentage of votes among the finalists for the selection of the All-Star Game.
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