Japanese professional baseball player Shohei Ohtani started as pitcher in a recent game with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Garnering much attention, Ohtani is known for his unique role as both a pitcher and hitter in Major League Baseball (MLB), distinguishing him as one of the few two-way players. The news of him starting exhibits his ongoing importance to the team and his prominence in the global baseball community.

Baseball is immensely popular in Japan, where many players aspire to join the American MLB. Shohei Ohtani is one such athlete who has made this successful transition and is therefore closely followed by the Japanese public. His successes are seen as a source of national pride and, as such, his games attract a great deal of media attention in Japan.

In the US and EU, local sports stars also receive extensive media coverage, though the attention might not be as universal due to a larger range of popular sports. Baseball is popular in the US, but not as much in the EU where football (soccer) is more dominant. However, a standout player like Ohtani would certainly receive comparable media attention due to his unique skill-set.