We’re on the brink of witnessing the most anticipated moment of this MLB season. Shohei Ohtani is returning to the mound on Monday against the Padres. After months of speculation, subtle updates, and cautious optimism, the Japanese ace is set to unleash his firepower on the mound once again, leading to a wave of hysteria.
Remember the Tokyo Series this year? Ticket prices at the Tokyo Dome skyrocketed overnight. Fans were willing to pay anything just for a glimpse of Ohtani. That might repeat, this time at Dodger Stadium.
Baseball channel DodgersMuse, which is associated with MLB’s ticketing partner SeatGeek, made an interesting revelation on X. “Ticket prices have skyrocketed for Shohei Ohtani pitching tomorrow,” they wrote.
Ticket prices have sky rocketed for Shohei Ohtani pitching tomorrow pic.twitter.com/WFtWIP90U3
— DodgersMuse (@LADodgersMuse) June 16, 2025
The buzz is back in the Dodger Stadium, and it has a name: Shohei Ohtani. Monday’s game against the Padres, where Ohtani is expected to pitch, has turned into a hot-ticket spectacle. Yes, seats are now selling anywhere between $200 to $700 apiece, according to DodgersMuse.
For context, tickets for Tuesday’s Giants-Guardians game are hovering around $50. Even the legendary Yankees–Red Sox rivalry, which packed Fenway Park on June 14, saw average ticket prices around $340. Now, that’s the kind of premium usually reserved for century-old rivalries. But here? This Padres-Dodgers game has a good chance of beating the Boston-Red Sox record too.
But this hype around Ohtani is not new. Just a few months ago, we witnessed the same in Tokyo. For the unversed, during the Tokyo Series, ticket demand didn’t just spike but exploded. Resale prices reportedly ranged from $2,454 to a jaw-dropping $20,822, with some even topping $21,000. On the other hand, the 2023 Seoul Series saw resale prices peak around $1,500, while even the World Series, MLB’s grandest stage, maxed out at $8,500.
While the Tokyo Series was a cultural homecoming for Ohtani, a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of Japan’s global baseball legacy, this one is his homecoming to the mound. And fans are willing to pay any price to be a part of it.
Shohei Ohtani is the true global face of MLB
MLB has had many big names over the years. Take Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Aaron Judge, and Juan Soto. Each of them enjoys huge popularity. But when it comes to the global market, Shohei Ohtani is the face that runs the show. Why?
The 2021 MVP campaign, where Ohtani crushed 46 home runs and struck out 156 batters, proved how he is ahead of his contemporaries.
With his record-shattering contract with the Dodgers, Ohtani was the first to break the $700 million mark. Off the field, his endorsement portfolio is just as dominant. According to a Sportico report, Ohtani is set to earn over $100 million in endorsements in 2025. Now, this figure places him on par with global icons like Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, and Stephen Curry. No other star from MLB has achieved this feat ever.
This not only underscores Ohtani’s global marketability but also highlights his singular position as a two-way force. When someone of this caliber is returning to the mound after more than two years, naturally, there will be fan hysteria to watch him live. But to what extent will it go? Let’s wait and watch.
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