During the regular season, Shohei Ohtani rarely takes batting practice out on the field.

Most of his hitting work is done indoors.

The reason is simple:

When Ohtani really lets loose in batting practice, the balls travel absurd distances, turning ordinary practice into something closer to a public spectacle.

At the 2023 World Baseball Classic, however, Ohtani occasionally chose to take batting practice in full view of players and fans.

And each time he did, people were stunned.

Some players who watched Ohtani’s batting practice or faced him in games later admitted that watching him hit made them feel as if they “wanted to quit baseball.”

Even elite professional sluggers considered his power overwhelming.

Some pitchers reportedly said their confidence was shattered after seeing him hit.

So why did Ohtani intentionally practice in front of everyone during the WBC?

When asked about it, he smiled and explained:

“There’s a bit of a message to the opponent in it.”

It was psychological warfare.

Before the game even began, Ohtani wanted opponents to witness the full scale of his power with their own eyes.

Once a team sees baseballs flying deep into the upper deck during batting practice, it becomes impossible not to think about it during the game.

Pitchers become overly cautious.

Fielders tighten up.

And if opponents focus too much mental energy on Ohtani himself, their concentration against the rest of Japan’s lineup can weaken.

One famous example came before the championship game against Team USA.

Ohtani took commemorative photos with his Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout before the game.

Then, during batting practice—with Trout watching—Ohtani launched a massive home run into the stadium’s upper deck.

It was not just batting practice.

It was a statement.

A reminder to the opposing team that they were about to face the most dangerous player in the world.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Testimonies: Behind the Fierce Battles of Samurai Japan at WBC 2023, p.16