The Japanese slugger was introduced before each at-bat to loud roars that continued until a few seconds before the pitch, when the crowd went into a silent trance that’s normally reserved for events like Wimbledon or the Masters.

The baseball-mad country of Japan greeted perhaps the brightest star it has ever produced with silence. When Shohei Ohtani stepped into the batter’s box to open Major League Baseball’s season against his fellow countryman,

The Dodgers defeated the Cubs 6-3, making Sota's evening complete. He said it was the first time he'd seen Ohtani in person. The Dodgers also won on Tuesday 4-1, sweeping the two-game series in Tokyo to open the MLB regular season.