Red Sox fans are desperate to bring Shohei Ohtani to Boston, but his experience at rainy Fenway Park on Monday may be working against them.
It’s no secret the Red Sox are one of the teams hoping to pursue Shohei Ohtani when he hits free agency next year. So fans have turned out in thirsty droves to watch the two-way star play for the Angels during the four-game series in Boston.
Those same fans braved the rain on Monday as Ohtani took the mound in the final game of the series. The weather may have washed away some of their recruiting efforts.
Ohtani is not a fan of the rain or the cold at Fenway Park, that much was very clear as he put on a jacket to combat the chill after he hit one of two singles on the day.
Ohtani wearing jacket after hitting a single
by u/G81111 in baseball
Shohei Ohtani likes Fenway Park, but not the rain or cold
Ohtani may not have appreciated the weather but he was complimentary of Fenway.
“It’s one of my favorite parks, so I always look forward to pitching here. But the conditions didn’t allow me to have fun fully. Other than that I always look forward to pitching here,” Ohtani told reporters, via Pete Abraham.
Abraham added some funny commentary to Ohtani’s quote — “Tomorrow’s Globe: Sox must put retractable roof on Fenway.”
Hey, anything to make sure Ohtani ends up with the Red Sox, right?
The Angels won the game 5-4 to avoid a sweep as Ohtani pitched two innings with three strikeouts and one earned run. At the plate, he went 2-for-5 with two singles.
Ohtani signed a one-year, $30-million deal with the Angels for the 2023, avoiding arbitration but also leaving his long-term future in question. He will be the biggest free agent on next year’s market with the Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, Cubs, Dodgers and others expected to take a run at him.