Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts surprised Shohei Ohtani with a heartfelt gift dedicated to the Japanese star’s family, especially his newborn daughter. Ohtani, who is having a remarkable season, is a strong contender for his fourth MVP title, with his offensive numbers rivaling those of New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge.
The Dodgers are currently hosting a four-game series against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. At some point either after Tuesday’s game or before Wednesday’s, Roberts called Ohtani into his office. There, he presented the two-way phenom with a toy pink Porsche car, a gift intended for Ohtani’s family, particularly his daughter, who was born on April 19.
The surprise was both sweet and humorous, as Roberts explained that, aside from their ongoing joke about cars, he and his wife wanted to give the Porsche toy car to Ohtani’s daughter as her first one. Ohtani, visibly touched, laughed and hugged Roberts, as the room filled with joy at the thoughtful gesture.
The moment was shared on Instagram with a caption that read: “Doc and his wife bought Shohei’s daughter a brand new car…kind of.”
The playful car-related tradition between Roberts and Ohtani began when Ohtani signed with the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season. After Ohtani received the No. 17 jersey from relief pitcher Joe Kelly, he gifted Kelly and his wife a brand-new Porsche. Last season, when Ohtani passed Roberts on the Dodgers’ all-time home run list, he returned the favor by gifting Roberts a toy-sized Porsche. Now, Roberts has taken the joke to a new level by gifting a pink Porsche to Ohtani’s daughter.
On the field, Ohtani is on track for another MVP award. With a .288 batting average, 23 home runs, 39 RBIs, and a 1.039 OPS in 59 games, Ohtani is projected to hit over 60 home runs and surpass 100 RBIs in 2025, continuing his pursuit of excellence in one of the most impressive seasons of his career.
