Frank Thomas, a legendary figure with 521 career home runs in Major League Baseball, expressed his opposition to Shohei Ohtani's (Los Angeles Dodgers) return to the mound.

Ohtani is set to start in a home game against the San Diego Padres on the 17th (Korean time) at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. This will mark his return to the mound after 633 days since August 23, 2023.

According to a report by the Japanese sports media 'Nikkan Sports' on the 16th, Thomas appeared on Fox Sports' 'MLB on FOX' and sent a warning message regarding Ohtani's return as a pitcher.

Thomas noted, "I fully respect Ohtani's talent and love his hitting more than anyone else," adding, "However, Ohtani's return as a pitcher is a complicated issue. Ohtani's hitting is already at an elite level, and I question whether there is any reason to take the risk of going back to the mound. The fact that Ohtani is in the game significantly impacts the overall popularity of Major League Baseball."

Expressing a negative stance on Ohtani's return as a pitcher, Thomas said, "If he focuses solely on hitting, he can easily maintain his top position for the next 10 years. Of course, I know that Ohtani has a strong desire to challenge himself again as a two-way player."

He continued, "If it's just 1 to 2 innings, that would be fine, but as his condition improves, the pitch count will naturally increase, and the physical burden will also grow. If I had a choice, I would put everything on hitter Ohtani."

Thomas also emphasized, "While it is certainly attractive to see him as a pitcher, the Dodgers, as well as Major League Baseball, cannot function without Ohtani. He is a treasure of Major League Baseball," highlighting that his advice comes from a genuine concern for Ohtani's abilities.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers unexpectedly announced Ohtani's return as a pitcher after their home game against the San Francisco Giants on the 16th. With excitement surging among fans in Japan and the United States, ticket prices for Ohtani's return game have skyrocketed.

According to the major ticket sales site 'Ticketmaster', ticket prices for the game on the 17th were as low as $75 before the announcement, but spiked to about $170, 2.3 times higher, just two hours after the announcement.

In light of this situation, American fans reacted with various comments, saying, "How many innings will he pitch?", "80% of the audience came to see Ohtani", "I should have bought it when it was $32…", "I should have bought about 4 tickets", "It's a Monday game in June (laughs)", and "Just to see 1 inning…"

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