Fact Check: Did the Simpsons predict Shohei Ohtani's Dodgers move weeks in advance? Uncovering reality behind viral image

A viral post depicting Shohei Ohtani alongside Homer Simpson in The Simpsons art style is making its rounds. Fans believe it to be an episode of the TV show, often known for its ability to predict the future.

The show has predicted events like past Superbowl matchups, the invention of smartwatches, FIFA's corruption scandal, etc. It would not surprise many if this turned out to be true.

However, the image in question is not real. It is an AI-generated image used to fool people into believing The Simpsons predicted Shohei Ohtani to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Multiple fans from various social media sites pointed out that the image was fake. If the image was real and a past episode, it would be all over the news with people freaking out.

It would not be surprising if Ohtani were featured in a new episode. The show has been renewed for its 35th and 36th seasons and often has its own comedic take on current events.

The show's creator, Matt Groening, has made several episodes on the sport. One episode involved Lisa taking over as manager for Bart's baseball team and using analytics to win. Another involves Homer's boss, Mr. Burns, hiring nine professional baseball players to rival Homer's softball team.

Shohei Ohtani and The Simpsons share one quality, and that is success

Dodgers Ohtani Baseball

The Simpsons is one of the most successful TV shows of all time. It is one of the longest-running shows, with well over 700 episodes and counting. It has been a staple inside homes for years, producing billions of dollars in revenue.

While he is not making that kind of money, Shohei Ohtani signed the richest contract in the history of any professional sport anywhere in the world. He has been the talk of the town with his record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract.

On top of signing Ohtani to a record-breaking deal, the Dodgers made a trade during Ohtani's press conference on Thursday. They acquired Manuel Margot and Tyler Glasnow from the Tampa Bay Rays for Ryan Pepiot and Jonny Deluca.

The Dodgers needed a frontline starter for their depleted rotation heading into the 2024 season. Now, they look like a serious World Series contender on-paper for several years.

For the rest of the league, these teams will have to make some serious moves if they want to stack up against the Dodgers.