Baseball Star Shohei Ohtani Catalyzes Boring Night as He Sleeps in Dugout During Routing of Yankees
On a rather ordinary Saturday night in June 2025, the baseball world witnessed a seemingly unexpected spectacle during the clash between the New York Yankees and the reigning champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Star player Shohei Ohtani, caught in the midst of a historic season, was captured on camera taking a brief snooze in the dugout.
With the Dodgers romping to a jaw-dropping 18-2 victory over the Yankees, the game became a bit of a bore for everybody, including Ohtani. A camera angle caught him with his eyes shut, his head resting on the dugout railing, giving the impression that he had drifted off for a brief moment. Even his awakening seemed genuine, further fueling the suspicions.
The world outside the stadium was abuzz with the birth of Ohtani's daughter, welcomed by him and his wife, Mamiko, in April. The challenges that come with being a new parent, combined with the rigorous Major League Baseball schedule, might have contributed to his sleepiness.
If Ohtani needed a 30-second power nap in the dugout, few Dodgers fans would have batted an eyelid. Amidst his stellar performances on the field, the paternal responsibilities have seemingly taken a toll, and fans everywhere could relate.
At the time of the incident, Ohtani was tying with Seattle's Cal Raleigh for the most home runs in the league with 22, while maintaining a batting average of .298 and driving in 37 runs. His overall slash line read an astounding .298/.395/.667.
The Yankees were looking to avenge their World Series defeat at the hands of the Dodgers, but things haven't exactly gone as planned. Having lost the first two games of the three-game series by a combined score of 26-7, they face the prospect of a disappointing sweep on Sunday night. Ohtani contributed with a pair of home runs in the series opener, managing a combined 4-for-9 across the two games.
With the Yankees on their heels, the Dodgers now stand on the brink of a series sweep. More importantly, they have the opportunity to stake their claim in the competitive New York scene, as they welcome the Mets to town for a three-game series starting Monday. The fate of baseball's biggest stage may once again rest on Ohtani's shoulders, as he juggles the demands of fatherhood, a challenging schedule, and his quest for baseball domination.
During the Yankees' 18-2 loss to the Dodgers, and amidst his historic MLB season, Shohei Ohtani was caught napping in the dugout, perhaps a testament to the physical and emotional demands of being a star player and a new father. With these responsibilities, Ohtani's future performances, both on and off the field, will remain a topic of interest for baseball fans everywhere.
