When Mike Trout made Shohei Ohtani crack up during a tasting extravaganza at Angels Stadium

In 2019, during a show named "The Change Up Kitchen," some of the Los Angeles Angels' players went to the stadium's kitchen to try the chef-made food. During the session, Mike Trout mistakenly spelled Shohei Ohtani's name as Shotani. He then corrected himself, making it evident that it wasn't a mistake but a joke. The players laughed while trying the food.

During the show, Trout revealed that he likes spicy food and can have it anytime.

"What do you got, Shotani?" Trout said.

Ohtani signed a contract with the Los Angeles Angels on Dec. 8, 2017, and has been playing for them since then. Ohtani will continue to be used by the Angels as both a pitcher and a hitter, the team confirmed before the start of the season.

Shohei Ohtani's MLB journey

Shohei Ohtani began as the designated hitter for the Angels against the Oakland Athletics on opening day, March 29, 2018. On April 1, he made his MLB debut as a pitcher, recording his first victory while striking out six batters in six innings and surrendering just three runs. A few days later, on April 3, Ohtani hit his first home run.

Shohei Ohtani

In his rookie season, Ohtani had a batting average of.285, a.361 on-base percentage, 22 home runs, 61 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He joined Babe Ruth as the only player with 10 pitching appearances and 20 home runs in a season, becoming the second-fastest Angels rookie to reach that milestone. He was named the American League Rookie of the Year.

On March 22, 2022, MLB instituted a new rule that permits a pitcher in the batting order to continue playing as a designated hitter after being removed from the mound. Due to his exceptional two-way play, the regulation became known as the "Ohtani rule" informally.