Shohei Ohtani was not in uniform for Sunday's Little League Classic in Pittsburgh, but his name still managed to stir things up.
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During the ESPN broadcast of the Mets-Mariners game at Bowman Field, one young fan from Australia shared a story about her past encounter with the Los Angeles Dodgers star. What began as a lighthearted interview turned into something else entirely.
Monica Arcuri, playing in the tournament, told the broadcast team that she met Ohtani in 2023 when he was still with the Los Angeles Angels. She recalled how her brother caught a home run ball that Ohtani had hit into an area closed to fans. The next day, she said, she approached Ohtani for an autograph while in a VIP section.
"But all he gave me was a side-eye and not a nice glance," Arcuri explained. "So after that, I've never liked him ever since. He's not really humble. Not my style."
It was not the response ESPN likely expected. The segment quickly shifted from a feel-good moment to a young fan putting one of baseball's biggest names on blast.
This kid confirmed my thoughts on Shohei Ohtani at this Mariners/Mets game.
ESPN and MLB must be mad that a kid straight-up dragged Shohei.
Big yikes 🤭 Dodgers' Golden boy ain't all that golden, huh? pic.twitter.com/wWnm2Y8nSa
— 🏃🏻🦈 (@lenamaneater) August 18, 2025
The story touches on the complicated dynamic between MLB players (and athletes in general) and fans. Many expect stars to always engage positively, since their fame is built on public support. At the same time, players are human. Ohtani might have been focused on a bullpen session, reviewing scouting notes, or simply caught at the wrong moment.
Regardless, Arcuri's comments made for one of the more memorable moments of the broadcast. They also arrive just months before Ohtani plans to release his first children's book, Decoy Saves Opening Day, which will be published in February.
For better or worse, Ohtani continues to draw attention — even on nights when he is not playing.
