Shohei Ohtani and Yusei Kikuchi face off 👀

[@theseiyuuman3862]

1. Kikuchi becomes the star in high school 2. Kikuchi graduates 3. Team coach “We will never see anyone this good in our high school for the next 30 years” 4. Ohtani joins. Throws 100mph 5. Coach “Who tf is that?”

[@bennynguyen9452]

😮😊😂

[@ANA-bm3cd]

That’s true and famous story in their hometown

[@sigerlion8608]

That's like some manga backstory lol

[@omcritzy]

@@sigerlion8608 theres a manga that has a pitcher who bats/pitches so it could be a shohei reference or not who knows.

[@orgonkothewildlyuntamed6301]

yeah why Ohtani after 2nd major arm surgery MAY pitch in 2025 LA better win at least a couple of WS or will go down as one of the worst signings ever & btw in the league 7 years still can't speak English??!?!

[@KanetsuguNaoe1112]

Ohtani went to Hanamaki Higashi High School because he admired Kikuchi. And they now face off in MLB.😮

[@PhuongPhuong-xt8jg]

Yo, that’s sick😮

[@juntaro420]

Hanamaki

[@KanetsuguNaoe1112]

@@juntaro420 Yessir!

[@juntaro420]

@@KanetsuguNaoe1112🫡

[@Kazu-sq2bt]

Just dream story

[@TERoss-jk9ny]

I’m so glad I’ve lived long enough to see/experience Shohei Ohtani. What an incredible player, and also a Man. I went to my very first game at Dodger Stadium in 1972, at the age of six. I’ve never looked back. Baseball is my love in life. A player like Shohei truly brings this incredible sport home. So cool.

[@kaspakrov]

I was never interested in baseball. One day when I was in Japan, I noticed that this one dude's face keep appearing in adverts everywhere. I googled this Shohei guy and welp, the rest is history

[@wilburwood8261]

You are still young. My first game was in 1973, Shea Stadium, Mets/Pirates. Last season for Willie Mays. With my dad.

[@FR0ZENxTUNA]

A rural Japanese high school producing 2 MLB players that are active at the same time??? Insane

[@panner11]

And not just two regular MLB players, but a bonafide starter and a GOAT talent.

[@にんジャ-b5x]

manga

[@sszz7662]

Rural high school doesn't justify the level of baseball there. It's not a random school. Japanese high schools scout players and train hard for their spring and summer tournaments.

[@Satellite215]

There may be the third one, Rintaro Sasaki, who holds the HR record in Japanese high schools and was just admitted to Stanford with a full scholarship. BTW, his dad is the baseball coach at Hanamaki Higashi HS. So he knew both Kikuchi and Ohtani since he was a young kid.

[@jayem1826]

And if you're a bonafide student, but not Japanese, you're not allowed to play at Koshien.

[@TN-ux5rk]

Some may wonder why this is a topic. That is because they are from the same high school. Kikuchi is senior to Ohtani by three years and was a nationally successful player before Otani entered the school. Without Kikuchi, it is widely believed, Ohtani wouldn't have entered the school. Kikuchi may have acted like a senior to Ohtani at one point, but Ohtani is now considered to be superior in every aspect. Considering Kikuchi's feelings, he probably did not want to lose to Ohtani at all costs.

[@mireiyokoyama1983]

They remind me of Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning

[@Chiwalker]

A pitcher recovering from Tommy John surgery currently has the hardest hit in the season, let that sink in...

[@orgonkothewildlyuntamed6301]

surgery was 6 yrs ago a LOT of players are actually better because they replaces a shot tendon with a new one

[@harumih.3727]

Wait for Ohtani's 119.2 mph hit, lifting Ohtani to another record of the hardest hits of the season.

[@brianchar-bow3273]

The important thing is not that they are both from the same Hanamaki-Higashi High School Japan and were educated in the baseball team there, What is more important is who taught them what and how to play baseball at Hanamaki-Higashi High School at that time, and how they were brought up. This is because the know-how to produce great athletes must be hidden there.

[@baseball_introduction]

大谷翔平と菊池雄星は同じ花巻東高校の出身です。 菊池の甲子園での活躍に憧れて、大谷も同じ花巻東高校を志望したと言われています。

[@ジン-k1d9b]

花巻東高校の近くに住んでる高校生として、この二人の対決を見れて良かった😊

[@pali_aha]

Which MLB team do you play for? 🥶🍟🍼

[@つた-y8q]

いいなー😊

[@uta4017]

Thanks for making the video.

[@dn9597]

As a Japanese, I'm so happy for all the Japanese baseball players in MLB!! I'm so proud of all of them, not only Shohei Ohtani!

[@OldMtnGeezer]

Ichiro Suzuki certainly set a high mark to emulate. One of the greatest ever, regardless of country of origin.

[@AziDolkness]

Yeah glad MLB sign many Japanese players after Japan won World Baseball Classic

[@kevinkawaguchi]

As a Japanese American ichiro was my favorite player

[@wheattt1]

@@kevinkawaguchias an American, Ichiro was the biggest reason I started watching baseball

[@TS-be7bz]

日本人ってだけで誇るなよ

[@qcommonsense]

Frankly, 6 IP to 4 ER against the Dodgers lineup is not a bad result. Especially after a game like yesterday.

[@shoheiohtani132]

7:23 Yusei Kikuchi threw a good ball

[@ri-d8080]

When I was a high school student, I have hit off a leadoff home run off Yusei! But no one believe me except for my friends from my high school and family…

[@山田太郎-v1d5u]

そりゃそうやろw 名前も名乗らないんじゃ信じようもないw

[@kousei7550]

何で名乗らないの？

[@wilburwood8261]

Actually, I hit 3 homers off of him. One of them was a sayonara come from behind grand slam. In my dreams lol

[@lIlIlIll-kg2cm]

i believe you.

[@redcast104]

@@wilburwood8261😐

[@freddie_video]

SHO🔥KIKUCHI! It was a special match up!

[@mmn9897]

Hanamaki-Higashi High School is located in the countryside of northeastern Japan, but it is amazing that it has produced these two major league players. But there is one more player I would like Americans to know about, Rintaro Sasaki, who entered Stanford University this year and is also a graduate of Hanamaki-Higashi High School. He is the son of the former coach and mentor of Ohtani and Kikuchi. He is a powerful slugger who has hit more home runs than any other player in Japanese high school baseball.

[@SWIFT_Sport]

Yusei Kikuchi vs. Shohei Otani A numbing confrontation. When Shohei Otani was in junior high school, he admired Yusei Kikuchi, the ace of Hanamaki-Higashi High School, and went to the same school. At the time, Otani wanted to challenge MLB as a pitcher. That's too great because he is now competing as a hitter in MLB against a senior whom he admires so much. I would like Americans and Canadians to know more about these two players.

[@keizomatsuzaki]

ohtani hit the ball @119miles/hour afrer ucl surgery on his right elbow. even his ucl injury does not affect his batting, but, after having surgery on right elbow, how can anyone swing the bat so hard. so much vibration on his elbow whenever hit must be painful. when bryce harper had ucl surgery, he could not swing his bat well for 1 full season. ohtani may be not a human.

[@poteku-xy1oz]

HANAMAKI HIGASHI

[@Bobbydawriter]

119.2 Mph RBI single wins today’s MATCHUP.

[@shoheiohtani132]

5:00 119.2 MPH from Shohei Ohtani. He's now responsible for the two hardest-hit balls this season.

[@CorvetteAustin24]

While recovering from Tommy John surgery.

[@lopakker4362]

Can someone explain why the ball speed off the batt isn't that significantly higher than pitch speed? (Ie. Only 20 mph higher). And 100mph is enough for a HR. Does that mean the pitcher can throw from the home base into the crowd?

[@JasonJia909]

@@lopakker4362depends if they can still throw 100 at the launch angle required

[@milkmanager]

@@CorvetteAustin24not tommy john surgery, he had it years ago

[@inspectuhtuff]

@@lopakker4362it has to do with a) the impulse of the ball on the bat and b) the amount of lost energy as a result of the bat being wooden as opposed to a different material like aluminum

[@LonoB]

5:12 Ohtani and the ump vibin 🤨

[@brandohernandez9991]

Fierce battle slightly fever Ohtani 🔥🔥🔥 good duel

[@Colin_Cooper2]

Shohei is the best player in the league maybe all time

[@Wavezone304]

Great comment.

[@mickeywoodward3921]

Be hard to argue with that statement. I don’t know much about his defense but, he sure does pitch and hit pretty good😉

[@Andrew-nu4hi]

Stating the obvious

[@Grrrrrgfifj]

@@mickeywoodward3921defense lmao pitching 7 innings under 2 ER a week is better than catching routine fly balls twice a game

[@mickeywoodward3921]

@@Grrrrrgfifj I understand and agree but, he said the best of all time. Just thought that would be icing on the cake😉

[@pahoopahoo]

To give an analogy to how shocking the breakthrough of Hanamaki-Higashi led by Kikuchi was in Koshien at that time, you can think of it as roughly equivalent to the emergence of Shohei Ohtani in mlb for those of you in America. No wonder Ohtani followed Kikuchi to Hanamaki-Higashi.

[@usernamealreadytaken770]

I remember that tweet claiming that Kikuchi had reserved a big dinner at a Japanese restaurant near Rogers Centre amid the rumors that Ohtani was flying to Toronto 😂

[@lucianoromero777]

The 2 samurai’s dueled

[@suigip]

5:12 😂

[@okatashiyoniku]

Thanks to MLB officials for uploading a special photo of their commemorative matchup. This matchup is always a hot topic in Japan.

[@5thunders191]

2 GOATs

[@areareare9953]

I like how all the MLB play by play guys can do now is just chuckle in shock when the velocity of the hit ball is posted.

[@brandohernandez9991]

Credit to Kikuchi didn’t intentionally walk him off👏

[@laartwork]

You don't walk him to get to the reigning Batting champ Freddie Freeman

[@RunForPeace-hk1cu]

@@laartwork Freeman is on a slump

[@edzelmejia3233]

Yea, he's a pitcher with a really good batting average.

[@ryoryo9384]

4:04 「日本」の発音がネイティブすぎて 突然日本語聞こえてきたと思ってびっくりした

[@donaldzuramp4404]

Wow finally a first person view from the catcher

[@hectieee]

wow that last curveball was used greatly

[@dylee2846]

Go Shohei!!

[@pjpolanco23]

Bien, gracias MLB

[@1096ONEOKROCK-v3n]

They both went to the same high school and shared the same dorm room

[@shaaa7995]

Love u shohei ohtani

[@michael_stout79]

It's shotime

[@e4t662]

Pause at 3:04, those young ladies only wish..

[@TaiyouArt]

Billion dollar man

[@EarthtonesCymbals]

Maybe we will see Ohtani pitch to Kikuchi in 2025?

[@johnrevelation37]

Shohei almost got the 1st base ump to dap up lol

[@brandohernandez9991]

Come on MLB we would like to see best of best face off but a lot of best pitchers IL

[@방탕중년단-b7u]

5:00

[@randyyoungban4021]

surreal Ohtani!

[@Sanismom]

Oh here comes 😮

[@Hvvjsfu]

When Kikuchi graduated from high school, the coach said, "It's unlikely that we will see a player surpass him in the next 30 years." The following year, Ohtani enrolled.

[@pihermoso11]

Anime moment right there...

[@Vikwak]

Not only is ohtani the greatest baseball player in the world, hes also thw greatest athlete in the world.

[@BEHEDETY]

BASEBALL THANK YOU

[@stevecho]

5:13 the ump almost 5 fives Ohtani🤣

[@bananaakaenpitsu]

改めて花巻東エグイな笑 麟太郎も頑張れ！

[@Lamar_dagoat]

Finally

[@Sicilian49]

Fukushima福島, Sendai仙台, Morioka盛岡, Hachinohe八戶, Aomori青森. I visited these north-eastern cities of Iwate. Although it was pretty good, but compared to other Japanese cities, these are a bit boring to visit.

[@patrickadamcruz3406]

Ikuzo!

[@sonnikdoh2510]

Ohtani's biggest battle seems to be with his armor.

[@pahoopahoo]

今回のドジャースのビジターユニを着て打席に立つ大谷を目をぼかして見るとその色合いが花巻東ユニに見えなくもない。ただそうすると同時に菊池が盛岡大付ユニを着ていることになるからややこしい。

[@SWIFT_Sport]

それかなり無理があるｗ

[@ts-vf8xf]

今はモリフよりも一関学院の方が強い

[@boygoodlook]

太神啦。谷神降臨😂

[@greeenbluebabys]

Which do you like bettre, Kikuchi’ wife(RUMI) or Ohtani’s one(MAMIKO) ??❤

[@randomname9758]

The Jays are pathetic. I mean beyond pathetic. I don't think their hitters are good enough for a minor league team.

[@pawahara3150]

花巻東

[@Dracula0425]

真の野球エリート高校。大阪桐蔭は二流をいっぱい作り出す学校。

[@モチモチちゃんねる]

アンビリバボー🐱✨

[@junito1008]

1:01 1:37 👈🏼😁 Dude, take that off…it’s bothering You…I bet You will be out !! 1:56 👈🏼🤦🏻‍♂️ I told You !! 😅

[@ほりっち-p5m]

YUSEI KIKUCHI🇯🇵🗾

[@Lil.Efrm256]

❤️❤️

[@leosorghum6867]

🇺🇲 Yakyuu!! 🇯🇵

[@matrix-fh9tn]

Pause at 5:12. You will see an optical illusion. Lol.

[@summertyme5748]

Didn't see it.

[@busyfps]

i thought i saw an espn noti that said ohtani is banned for 5 years?

[@nicholasfoley7105]

Ohtani not pitching this year???

[@김해숙-h3b]

looks like Lee Seung-yuop south korean super star

[@doug8237]

I really do be expecting ohtani to have a 3 for 5 night including a hr like every night. When he has a measly 1-4 night I’m so disappointed haha.

[@Evan-hockputer]

Japan

[@ぽぽ-c8q]

さらに佐々木麟太郎もいきます

[@suigip]

Bro with his robotics arm

[@dylanklick6854]

1$tview

[@fabianulloa2961]

I havent seen ohtani to pitch? Will he do it?

[@denzelgamboa]

He's not pitching this season because of the Surgery he got last season

[@CorvetteAustin24]

Pretty easy to search youtube to see him pitching.

[@fabianulloa2961]

@@CorvetteAustin24 I mean, pitching with Dodgers. But i got the answer already.

[@PeteLeblanc-d5r]

Baybay

[@RicFlair-yn1mm]

I just realized something while watching this...there's an influx of Japanese players all of a sudden. What's going on?

[@marumarusensei1]

Because they are a good players. Did you see WBC?

[@RicFlair-yn1mm]

@@marumarusensei1 so they weren't good players in the past? We are seeing way more Japanese players now

[@Kaimax61]

Japan LOVES Baseball, and now, good players from Japan playing in the MLB, well you have Japanese audience now. Like people are also watching it live from Japan.

[@RD-wg9em]

@@RicFlair-yn1mmmostly just more incentive for them to get posted over the mlb now. Used to be the top end Japanese players earned more than enough that they would just stay in NPB. That’s changing though. ohtani and yamamotos contracts are obvious examples

[@marumarusensei1]

@@RD-wg9em That goes without saying. The size of the market is no comparison. For example, what the Dodgers pays to Ohtani can get a break even in two years if you see numbers of advertisement at the Dodgers studium, broad casting right, and goods sales,,,etc. You know the baseball fans watch MLB in Czech Republic, and other Europe nations, Mexico, Canada, Asia, some African nations, Australia, and South America. The market is the world.

[@user-nt8ge4uw4s]

なんでコイツらこんなにブーイングしてんや笑

[@laishawn3042]

鼻音哥

[@kousei7550]

あれ手を舐めるのって禁止じゃなくなったの？

[@shunmatsu1444]

くくち

[@Wavezone304]

Lol

[@WhitePython453]

No views 28 seconds mlb fell off.

[@드래곤-z8w]

수비를 해야지 투수 못한다고 지명타자는 쫌 반쪽자리 타자인게 아쉽지만 타자로서는 잘하네

[@SWIFT_Sport]

You say he's a halfway decent hitter? Are you okay?

[@소가영-f1p]

멍청하면 티를 못내서 안달인게 정말 맞는 말인듯. 오타니는 팔꿈치 수술 후 재활중인 선수입니다. 수비같은소리하고있네요;;

[@SWIFT_Sport]

@@소가영-f1p 뭐, 오타니의 경우, 투수가 본직으로, 타자는 취미이므로.

[@Justintime2GrowNetwork]

Kikuchi is mediocre. I think it's funny he's being featured just for being Japanese and pitching against Ohtani.

[@RejectHumanityReturn2Monke]

It's funny how people run their mouths without knowing a thing. Kikuchi is Ohtani's little league hero. He pursued baseball in the same high school as Kikuchi solely because Kikuchi was the previous ace. This is Ohtani's "facing your childhood idol" moment.

[@SWIFT_Sport]

@@RejectHumanityReturn2Monke You know it well. Are you Japanese?

[@Justintime2GrowNetwork]

@@SWIFT_Sport They literally tell the story every time they meet. There have been articles written since at least 2019 about it. Everyone should know the story by now.

[@SWIFT_Sport]

@@Justintime2GrowNetwork Did he say that because he knew the story? And does that mean that every American knows this story? I see. Yusei Kikuchi is someone Otani should surpass. It's natural that he gets attention, but I can't help but feel like he's just a supporting character. However, Yusei Kikuchi is still a good pitcher.

[@Justintime2GrowNetwork]

@@SWIFT_Sport What part of they tell the story every time they meet do you not understand? Anyone who watched them face each other already knows. If anyone in the future watches it they will also hear the commentary. That's how video works lol.

[@arrrrrrrrr1]

1st

[@김해숙-h3b]

Korean

[@atlbraves1983]

Othani getting that itch to place some bets but gotta wait until the smoke clears 👀

[@JamesDore-ez7qg]

What's up with mookie Betts not scoring he didn't want ohtani to get the RBI

[@AdrianTorres-v9k]

Blue Jays fans are still butthurt 🤣 who tf would even wanna play there?