Exploring Shohei Ohtani’s roots: Ben Verlander’s Japan diary, Day 1

By Ben Verlander
FOX Sports MLB Analyst

Hello from Yokohama, Japan.

This has been a year in the making. I’ve been dying to dive into Japanese baseball culture and learn about Shohei Ohtani‘s origins. Today, I stepped off the plane in Tokyo, and it all hit me that it was actually happening. My DM’s have been overrun. I’m blown away by the generosity and energy of the baseball fans here. I had plenty of time on the plane last night and this morning to check them out, answered for hours and still didn’t make a dent. 

Here’s what the past day has looked like:

• Thursday: Get on a 12-hour flight at 1 a.m. I really tried to get ahead of the jet lag, so I waited to fall asleep — but me being me, I had a hard time sleeping on the plane. So I’m currently going on about 36 hours with maybe two hours of sleep.

• Got through Customs. Our producer almost ruined the trip before it began by bringing beef jerky.

• Ramen.

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