What is Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s nickname in MLB?

As Major League Baseball’s Opening Day approaches, one of the players attracting the most attention is Shohei Ohtani, as the Japanese star heads into his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Joined Dodgers on big-money deal

Ohtani, 29, signed with the Dodgers on a 10-year, $700 million contract in December, after six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.

The focus has also been on Ohtani in the wake of the Dodgers’ sacking of his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, amid a betting scandal that has forced the player to publicly deny taking part in sports gambling.

“I never bet on baseball or any other sports, or never have asked somebody to do it on my behalf,” he told reporters on Monday.

What is Shohei Ohtani’s nickname in MLB?

Many fans outside of the United States may not know that Ohtani, who operates as both a pitcher and a designated hitter, is known within MLB as ‘Sho Time’.

A profile on MLB’s official website reads: “[Ohtani] can both smash dingers and strike batters out like no one since Babe Ruth. Move over Lakers, this is the real Sho Time.”

Where does Ohtani’s nickname come from?

The moniker is a play on the ‘Showtime’ nickname given to the famous Los Angeles Lakers basketball team of the 1980s.

Led by stars such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, the Lakers dominated the NBA, playing exciting, attacking basketball as they won five championships between the 1979/80 and 1987/88 seasons.

When is Opening Day 2024?

Opening Day is on Thursday 28 March 2024, with all 30 MLB franchises scheduled to be in action. The Dodgers are to host the St Louis Cardinals at 4:10pm ET/1:10pm PT.

However, this won’t be the seven-time World Series champions’ first fixture of the 2024 season.

The Dodgers have already played two regular-season games in Seoul, South Korea, both against the San Diego Padres. Dave Roberts’ men were 5-2 winners over the Padres on 20 March, before losing 11-15 the following day.