Fact Check: Was Shohei Ohtani arrested in LA? Debunking YouTuber's viral video thumbnail

Was Angels star Shohei Ohtani once arrested in Los Angeles? According to a viral video that has found its way on to YouTube, that is the impression that some fans are getting.

HitFlix, a channel with about 50,000 subscribers posted a video entitled "20 Things You Didn't Know About MLB Players" on November 4. Now with the thumbnail featuring an image of Ohtani being handled by police with a false news caption reading "Shohei Ohtani arrested in LA".

For obvious reasons, a caption like this drew a lot of interest in the video. However, apart from a segment about Ohtani's pillow, and other blurps such as Manny Machado's decision to wear Kobe Bryant's number with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The level with which clickbaiting was employed in the HitFlix video counfounded other YouTube personalities. Fuzzy, who runs a popular MLB-related channel, even posted his own response to it. In the clip, Fuzzy reveals that HitFlix has a plethora of other provocatively questionnable video thumbnails.

While it may not come as a surprise to anyone, there is no verifiable evidence that Ohtani was ever arrested in Los Angeles, or anywhere else. Known to be somewhat shy and standoffish, it is difficult to envision any circumstances that would lead to the 29-year old's arrest.

At the present moment, any news item bearing Ohtani's name is bound to explode. With his one-year, $30 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels having expired this month, the AL MVP-presumptive is staring down the possibility of inking one of the biggest contracts in history.

""Shohei Ohtani is probably less concerned about geography and more concerned about the quality of the team he is going to. (via @jonmorosi)" - SleeperMLB

Despite missing the final month of the season on account of injury, Ohtani still managed to lead the American League in home runs, on-base percentage, slugging, and total bases. While injuries will keep the two-way star off the mound until 2025, he is still seen as the most valuable free agent in decades.

Misinformation about Shohei Ohtani may only be getting started

When news of the contract breaks, expect a media frenzy. However, before that happens, we might be able to expect the same outcome. News of any deal signed by Shohei Ohtani has the potential to be one of the biggest sports stories of the decade, especially if he goes to a team like the New York Yankees or Mets.

In these times, journalistics and content creators have a responsibility to report on the fact, no matter how flashy the alternative might be.