Johnny Damon says Dodgers will win World Series again in 2025
Johnny Damon explains why he thinks the Dodgers and Yankees are bound for a rematch, but why the former is an easy choice to win again.
Sports Seriously
PHOENIX — Thousands of fans streamed into Camelback Ranch at 3:30 p.m. Friday, roaming the back fields of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ practice area, hoping to catch a glimpse of the star attraction before game-time.
Then, precisely at 4:52, there he was, Shohei Ohtani himself, emerging from the indoor batting cage.
Fans started shrieking, racing towards the restraining fence to get a closer look at him, yelling out his name.
He ran onto Field 1, throwing long toss to keep his arm loose, and nine minutes later, rushed back inside with fans pleading for him to stop for autographs.
Sorry, no time today, Ohtani had a game to play, his first of the spring, with John Sebastian singing “Welcome Back’’ over the loudspeakers.
Fans then watched videotapes of Ohtani on the right-field scoreboard, with highlights of his magical 50-50 season, cheering as if this is the first time they saw it.
Ohtani, who had not faced an opposing pitcher since the World Series, stepped to the plate against Angels pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who attended his same high school in Japan, at 6:10 p.m.
Fans started chanting, “M-V-P, M-V-P’’ as he dug in against Kikuchi. Ohtani patiently watched five pitches, swinging at only one. With a full count, he swung at Kikuchi’s 94-mph fastball.
And he sent soaring over the left-field fence for an opposite-field homer.
The crowd gasped.
And then roared.
Ohtani, with a television audience watching live on NHK in Japan and on the Dodgers’ SportsNet, showed the world that he indeed is back.
Maybe better than ever.
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