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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Entertainment
Mike McDaniel

Shohei Ohtani and Elly De La Cruz Shared a Special Moment and MLB Fans Loved It

Shohei Ohtani De La Cruz Elly De La Cruz Angels Baseball

Baseball players across the major leagues are mesmerized by the two-way ability of Angels star Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani has been an unbelievable player, with his versatility garnering comparisons to the great Babe Ruth. Ohtani owns a career 3.01 ERA on the mound across his six major league seasons, proving to be a bona fide frontline starter. In addition, he’s a career .274 hitter with a .921 OPS. He’s hit 171 career home runs to go along with 433 RBI.

He’s a true star in every way, to the point where it sometimes seems as if he’s not real.

Just ask Reds rookie infielder Elly De La Cruz, who had to check out Ohtani for himself in the second game of Wednesday’s day-night doubleheader against the Angels. With Ohtani standing on second base, De La Cruz hilariously poked the Angels star on the arm to see if he was real. The move by De La Cruz evoked a laugh out of Ohtani, who was having a rough day after being diagnosed with a torn UCL in his elbow, after leaving the first game of the doubleheader with arm fatigue. 

Ohtani’s response to De La Cruz included an imitation of the Reds star notching a hit earlier in the game with a ridiculous off-balance swing.

While Ohtani’s season on the mound is over, it is likely that he will continue as a designated hitter so long as he avoids surgery on the ligament in his elbow. 

Heading into an offseason where Ohtani was expected to sign a record-breaking contract, Wednesday’s injury announcement was certainly tough news for the Angels star and baseball fans everywhere.

The Angels dropped both games of the doubleheader on Wednesday to fall to 61–67 on the season, as their playoff hopes dwindle, but that didn’t stop baseball fans from embracing the moment anyway. Here are the best reactions after the exchange between De La Cruz and Ohtani.

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