Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is playing in the postseason for the first time in his seven-year MLB career.
Los Angeles signed Ohtani to a gigantic 10-year, $700 million contract this offseason, and the soon-to-be three-time MVP immediately proved his worth.
He had a historic debut campaign with the Dodgers, becoming the first player in MLB history to register at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season. Ohtani led the National League in home runs (54), RBI (130), on-base percentage (.390), slugging percentage (.646) and OPS (1.036). He also led the entire majors with 411 total bases.
The 6-4 slugger has become must-see TV every time he is at-bat. Indeed, Fox's MLB playoff coverage is marking the number of batters until Ohtani's next plate appearance with a special graphic.
That visibility rubbed some fans the wrong way — perhaps because people always need something to be mad about. Here's more on the graphic and the criticism surrounding it.
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Fox's Shohei Ohtani at-bat graphic is drawing criticism from fans
If you tuned into either of the Dodgers' first two NLDS games against the Padres, you couldn't have missed Fox's graphic above the score bug that told viewers the number of batters until Ohtani's next plate appearance.
Fox used a big image of Ohtani with the number of batters away in massive, caps-lock font. Padres fans were ... less than pleased with the apparent bias from the broadcast.
…at least try to hide the bias? pic.twitter.com/K7ab8LdHOs
— cook (@cook17) October 6, 2024
The internet had a field day with the unorthodox promotion of one specific player, photoshopping the graphic into other sports broadcasts, among other things.
I thought it was just AL games today??? 😟 I’m also at work??????? wtf, MLB… the bias is unreal pic.twitter.com/56weGAkjQY
— nat ☽ (@xnatandreasan) October 8, 2024
This is outta hand… who is this Ohtani guy. pic.twitter.com/R9n7ywj1Dg
— Taylor (@Tmac2_) October 6, 2024
you’d think this dude is the boogeyman the way FS1 be acting pic.twitter.com/CD9zCqgLM1
— IcyVert (@IcyVert) October 7, 2024
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The reality is, why wouldn't MLB market an all-time great player like that?
Baseball has long been searching for a "face of the league," and Ohtani is undeniably one of the best players to ever play the sport.
More often than not, he does something ridiculous when he's at the plate. Even if it does come off as Dodgers bias, it's less about the team and more about the magnitude of the player.
Fox and MLB did a similar marketing promotion for Aaron Judge last year, cutting away from broadcasts into live Yankees games whenever he was at the plate as he pursued the AL's all-time single-season home run record.
And fans were upset about that, too.
If you're a San Diego fan, it's understandable to be upset that you're receiving a constant visual reminder of when your rival's most dangerous player is coming to the plate. But other than that, baseball fans should be appreciative that they exist at the same time as a player of Ohtani's caliber who is worthy of having such a graphic to monitor his every plate appearance.
