Since Shohei Ohtani left the Los Angeles Angels for the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2024 season, Major League Baseball’s social media has rapidly recirculated his highlights. While with the Angels, Ohtani played in a smaller market on underperforming teams, yet still earned viral attention as a unique two-way talent. After signing a $700 million contract with the Dodgers, his highlight reels have become far more frequent, even when his new team suffers losses that resemble the struggles once typical of the Angels.
Angels Supporters React to Ongoing MLB Focus on Ohtani Despite Dodgers’ Struggles
During a game where the Dodgers trailed the Angels 7-0 in the eighth inning, Ohtani, the leading contender for National League MVP, hit his 42nd home run of the season off Shaun Anderson, cutting the deficit to six. Anderson, newly promoted from Triple-A, had a 7.59 ERA in 10.2 innings pitched. Angels fans found it ironic that Ohtani’s homer came against such opposition, mocking the constant emphasis on his power despite less impressive team performances.
Sam Blum, the Angels’ beat reporter for The Athletic, highlighted this disparity while summarizing the Angels’ 7-4 win over the Dodgers, calling out the relentless “Tungsten Arm” O’Doyle narrative that follows Ohtani regardless of his team. Blum noted,
“It’s cool that Ohtani has hit a home run in three straight games, but the feat was accomplished when his team was getting destroyed. As Aaron Judge has shown, fans do not actually care about solo home runs in blowout losses.”
The Reality of Team Play Versus Individual Achievements in Baseball
Baseball remains a team sport where individual excellence alone does not guarantee success, a point underscored by both Mike Trout and Ohtani making the playoffs just once each. Despite consistently delivering MVP-caliber performances, their teams’ lack of depth has hindered postseason success. For Angels fans, the irony lies in watching the Dodgers’ lead in the National League West shrink even as Ohtani’s highlights continue to be spotlighted—offering a rare moment of satisfaction amid their own team’s challenges.