The Shohei Ohtani era in Major League Baseball officially can begin.
The Japanese two-way player was one of the league’s most highly sought after free agents this offseason, and ultimately inked a deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
But before he heads stateside, the now-former Nippon Ham Fighters star was given a ceremony recognizing his service to the club and to say goodbye to fans. During the ceremony, the 23-year-old was able to deliver a ceremonial final pitch to the delight of the fans in attendance, all while donning the jersey of his new ballclub.
Take a look:
札幌ドームのマウンドから、集大成の"1球"#lovefighters #大谷翔平 pic.twitter.com/Ucr76ikX2W
— 北海道日本ハムファイターズ公式 (@FightersPR) December 25, 2017
Pretty cool moment, and a nice way to end things.
The love the fans had for Ohtani was palpable in the video, and we’re sure Angels fans are hoping they’ll have the same adoration for him once his tenure in Los Angeles is over.
