Since its creation, baseball has grown tenfold. Much of this growth has been due to the ambassadorships many people around the game have embraced.
Here is a look at the work and influence some of these ambassadors have had on baseball globally.
Shohei Ohtani is a major player for Japan. The major leaguer from Oshu has transcended the game in his seven seasons with the Los Angeles Angels and Dodgers.
Japan has gone MLB crazy because of him. An estimated 15.2 million viewers from the country watched games one and two of this season’s World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.
A ton of this is credited to Ohtani’s influence on Japan, as he has become an international sensation.
Because of Ohtani, a pipeline has also been created between Japan and the MLB. Many different stars have flocked to the United States to play professional baseball and have used the Nippon as an avenue to get there.
Ohtani’s teammates Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki have joined the two-way star on the Dodgers to create a bonafide contender for the 2025 World Series championship.
The Chicago Cubs made a big free agency splash from Japan prior to last season in Shota Imanaga.
All of these major leaguers from Japan have been partially influenced by Ohtani’s success in the MLB in the United States. This has made him a vital global ambassador for the game.
Albert Pujols has recently made waves as it was announced he would be a broadcaster for the Baseball United UAE Series.
Baseball United is a newer baseball league based in the Middle East and South Asia. With teams representing cities from India, Pakistan, the UAE, and other countries, this is a foundational moment for baseball in a new place.
Pujols’ willingness to broadcast games fresh off winning the LIDOM and Caribbean Series as a manager in the Dominican Republic shows how much he cares about the game and its growth on a large scale. This makes him a valued global ambassador for the game.
Ohtani and Pujols are just two examples of people who are working to grow baseball rapidly worldwide.
Their efforts make the game much better and give different people from all walks of life the chance to enjoy a pastime that is loved by the masses.
