Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Goes Viral For Questionable Celebration

Mere minutes into the Los Angeles Dodgers’ showdown with the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night, Shohei Ohtani set the internet ablaze.  It wasn’t in the way he usually does, either. The designated hitter didn’t break a record or join “Tungsten Arm O’Doyle” in the MLB history books – he simply stole second base with two outs in the top of the first and popped up to celebrate.

Ohtani called time, pulled off his left batting glove and made a lewd gesture by shaking the glove repeatedly near his groin area. As cold as that description is, anything more detailed would likely be labeled as NSFW.  The ESPN broadcast didn’t make any comments about Ohtani’s interesting celebration, but fans online were quick to pull the clip and share their own thoughts.

Shohei explain yourself pic.twitter.com/RqCzxy71es

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 10, 2024

Someone needs to tell Ohtani that Stott is a happily married man. pic.twitter.com/4Ah2UOZ5NH

— DFAntastic (@PhillyTradesman) July 10, 2024

There was only one possible explanation that cut Ohtani some slack, claiming that he was shaking dirt out of his glove.

Shake the dirt out of that glove, Ohtani! 💪

🎥: @ohtanitruther pic.twitter.com/gOW7qwJgvG

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) July 11, 2024

The next time Ohtani stepped up to the plate, he delivered a game-tying RBI single to center, improving to 2-for-2 on the night.  Ohtani, who just turned 30 years old last week, is now batting .318 with 28 home runs, 66 RBI, 22 stolen bases, a 1.039 OPS and a 5.2 WAR so far this season. The two-time AL MVP is one of the leading candidates to win NL MVP this year, making good on the 10-year, $700 million contract he inked with the Dodgers in December.

Beyond his production at the plate, Ohtani has remained one of baseball’s biggest stars this season. There aren’t too many players who would generate headlines with an off-color stolen base celebration, but Ohtani is certainly on that short list.