Los Angeles Angels phenom Shohei Ohtani is rankling sportswriters by rarely making himself available for postgame interviews.
And MLB fans do not care.
Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register griped about Ohtani rarely availing himself to the throng of sportswriters crawling around the locker room after Angels games.
"This is a major issue ... We talk to him after he pitches and occasionally after he has a good performance at the plate," Fletcher said on the "Foul Territory" podcast Thursday. "And when I say 'occasionally,' I mean four times a year."
What Fletcher considers a major issue barely registers with the vast majority of those following the sport.
Many fans point to the fact that Shohei Ohtani, a native of Japan, must speak to media through an interpreter. It's not like he grew up in Orange County.
Shohei Ohtani has captivated MLB fans like few others have in the history of the game. He has become the rarest of players, an athlete who is able to transcend the sport he plays.
Ohtani's accomplishments are truly that of legend as the 2021 American League Most Valuable Player zeroes in on winning his second MVP honor this season after narrowly finishing second to New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge in 2022.
As long as he keeps doing what he's doing on the field, most fans could care less if he hides out from the media.
Shohei Ohtani ranks in the top three in all of MLB in both homers hit (21) and strikeouts tossed (102). Baseball fans from around the country – and the globe – remain amazed at the achievements that the two-way player is able to accomplish in his sixth major league season.
While it is unusual for a player to not avail himself to the media, neither the Angels nor their fans seem to mind Ohtani keeping mostly quiet and letting his play do the talking.
Shohei Ohtani and Babe Ruth in very exclusive club
Ohtani and Babe Ruth are the only players in MLB history to hit 100 home runs and strike out 500 batters.
Ohtani has a long way to go to match Ruth in both home runs and strikeouts. However, he is rising to Ruthian levels of popularity as a major league player. Millions follow his efforts from game to game, not just in North America, but throughout the world.