Shohei Otani “I don’t think he’s mentally strong” HR bounces back from loud boos…Q&A | Full-Count

“I’ll do my best to break it again tomorrow,” Roberts said of his record.

■Dodgers 12-2 Blue Jays (27th Japan time, Toronto)

Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani hit a No. 7 solo hit for the first time in three games on the 26th (27th Japan time) against the enemy Blue Jays. He entered the game as the “number two designated hitter” and was carried to the right field seats in his first at-bat of the first inning amid loud boos. He tied Roberts, who was born in Okinawa, for the team’s record for most home runs by a Japanese-born player.

The Q&A after the match is as follows.

–How is the response from the fans and the atmosphere in HR?
“It was my first at-bat, so I was looking forward to coming to Toronto, and today there were almost a full house of fans, so it’s a great blessing for me as a player. It’s very rewarding to play in front of so many fans. I think it will be exciting.”

–Were you surprised to be booed?
“I wasn’t surprised.”

――Recently, your batting has been strong, what are the reasons?
“I talk to the batting coach about various things, including data, and I think it’s good that we can communicate about things, including movement.”

–Does booing lead to motivation?
“Motivation…Whether or not you get booed is a matter of consequence, but what can you say when you have so many people joining in? It’s because you love your team that you want to boo the opposing players.” I think that kind of passion is something that makes both Dodgers fans and Blue Jays fans respect baseball.”

–Why weren’t you surprised by the boos?
“In the end, as I said when I chose the Dodgers, there was only one team I could go to.For me, I can only be grateful to the team that approached me, and in that regard, Putting aside what the fans think, all I can do is thank them as well.”

–What are the reasons behind the strong batting lineup in the last five games?
“Personally, I have a good rhythm on defense, so I think that’s connected to my offense, and both the starters and relievers have a good rhythm on defense, so I think that’s a factor. ”

He tied the manager’s home run record and said, “I’ll do my best to break it again tomorrow.”

–Although he tied the HR record for managers.
“That’s right. I’m currently working hard to achieve that goal. I’ll do my best to pass again tomorrow.”

–There were some positive comments from Toronto fans.
“I’m just happy. I don’t mind booing. It’s part of baseball, and if the fans are enjoying it, I think it’s fine for the players to be concerned about it.”

–In the sense of respect.
“I think it depends on the type of booing.In the end, I’m in the position of saying no to the Blue Jays.I think the fans love the Blue Jays, so I think it depends on the type of booing.” I think it’s normal for the Blue Jays to support the Blue Jays. If I were a Blue Jays fan, I’d probably boo, and I think that’s part of baseball and sports.”

–Which home run did you hit during that time?
“Regardless of whether I hit it amidst the boos or not, I was at a standstill, so I was wondering if you could come in. It was a last minute thing, but I’m glad you came in.”

–How to control your mental state.
“I think it depends on the number of situations, and I don’t think I’m mentally strong.I don’t think there are any people who think they are strong.I think depending on the situation, there may or may not be pressure. But I think it’s great to be able to stand at bat in situations like that.”

――Along with the director, do you have any words to say?
“We lined up. That’s what I said.”

–The director said he wanted a new car.
“I’m not thinking about it right now.”

–Do you have a relationship where you can joke with each other?
“The first month was just one month.From my point of view, I don’t want people to worry about it too much, but rather, communicate to the extent that it turns into a laugh. I just have to deal with it. I think the atmosphere where I can joke around with my teammates is a plus for me.”

Match with Yusei Kikuchi “I’m looking forward to my school and the teachers who taught me”

–On the 27th (28th), you will play against pitcher Yusei Kikuchi.
“I’m at bat quite a lot, but it doesn’t happen every year, and of course it’s important to us, but the school (Hanamaki Higashi) is also the same, and the teacher who taught me is also the same. I think it’s more fun that way.”

–Did you pay attention to the progress of your rehabilitation and your defense when picking up balls?
“I’m not conscious of defense. I want to sprint and run. It was a game with a delicate time period. I think I want to know what I’m doing first before going into the game. I think my pitching is progressing smoothly. I think the reaction of the elbow itself is very good, so I think it’s going well.”

–Little Mizusawa’s junior was selected to participate in the Paralympic racewalking.
“I want him to do his best. I want him to be able to achieve results that he is satisfied with.I think that he will be satisfied if he can achieve what he has achieved.”

— Regarding athletes competing in the Olympics.
“I just think it’s amazing. I don’t think it matters what the competition is like, whether you participate in the Olympics or not. That’s why I decided to continue competing that long, and that’s why I’ve continued to do so, and that’s what I’ll do in the future. Sports aren’t the only thing I’m thinking of continuing to do, but I think that’s a great thing in itself.”

–How did you feel when you participated in the world championship for the first time?
“I think it’s probably the high school representative. At that time, it was simply members who played in Koshien, such as Fujinami (Shintaro), and being able to play with such players is what the world championship is like. I think it was special for me to be part of a team like that.”

(Kodai Kawamura)