Shohei Ohtani has only been with the Los Angeles Dodgers for a few months, but he has clearly made quite the impression.
The city of Los Angeles on Friday honored Ohtani at City Hall and declared May 17 to be Shohei Ohtani Day. While it is not terribly unusual for cities to honor public figures and athletes like this, the kicker here is that the city council resolution set May 17 as Ohtani Day for the rest of his career with the Dodgers, via The Associated Press.
Ohtani was in attendance for the ceremony, as were a number of his teammates. Through a translator, Ohtani thanked the L.A. City Council, as well as the Dodgers organization, for the honor.
Ohtani is not new to Los Angeles entirely, having spent his career with the Angels until this season, so perhaps the recognition is not completely out of nowhere. Still, Ohtani signed a ten-year contract, so May 17 is going to be Ohtani Day in the city for quite some time.
Entering play Saturday, Ohtani is hitting .358 with 13 home runs, both of which lead the league. No wonder Los Angeles is giving him a holiday.
