Despite much anticipation, the World Series rematch between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees has been anything but riveting.
The defending champs followed up Friday’s 8-5 series-opening win by pummeling the Yankees 18-2 on Saturday. The blowout escalated in a hurry, too, as the Dodgers jumped out for 10 runs over the first two innings.
Things got so out of hand, in fact, that even the players themselves had difficulty being entertained. At one point during the blowout, FOX cameras caught Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani seemingly dozing off in the dugout before catching himself mid-snooze in a now-viral moment.
Fans reacted on social media with amusement.
“Ohtani’s like: “Wake me up when it’s October.” This team is too loaded,” one commenter wrote.
Another posted, “He’s a new dad. His infant probably keeps him up at night.”
New Dad Shohei Ohtani Ties Dodgers Record
Ohtani is indeed a new father. His wife, Mamiko Tanaka, gave birth in April to the couple’s first child, a girl.
As such, it’s hard to blame Ohtani, 30, from trying to sneak in some extra shut eye. Anyone with a newborn knows sleep usually comes in short supply.
Ohtani, who was 2-for-4, was removed for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning with Los Angeles comfortably ahead 14-1. The night before, the two-time reigning MVP homered twice, his 21st and 22nd of the season, off lefty Max Fried.
Ohtani’s 15 home runs in May tied Duke Snider (1953) and Pedro Guerrero (1985) for most homers by a Dodger in a single month. He also hit 15 in June 2023 while with the Los Angeles Angels.
Sleep is a ‘Top Priority’ for Shohei Ohtani
This isn’t the first time Ohtani’s sleep habits have been a topic of conversation. In 2022, he told Japanese news agency Kyodo News, “Sleep is my top priority,” noting he tries to get 10 hours of each each night in addition to a two-hour nap.
That routine has obviously worked well for Ohtani. In 2024, his first year as a Dodger, Ohtani hit a National League-leading 54 homers, won his third MVP award, and led the club to a World Series victory over the Yankees in five games.
Ohtani also became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 or more home runs and steal 50 or more bases in the same year.
He’s off to another strong start this season, slashing .298/.395/.667 for the first-place Dodgers (36-22), and is aiming to start pitching again.
Shohei Ohtani Appears to Fall Asleep During Dodgers-Yankees Game