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The Angels’ prodigal son is beloved by his teammates.

In the last month or so, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels has become an overnight sensation. While his initial debut on the team wasn’t anything special, he’s cemented himself as a standout player on both sides of the field, to the point that he’s the first player in MLB history to secure two positions in the All-Star Game. He’s got a bright smile, no scandals weighing him down, and according to his teammates, an almost supernatural magnetism about him.

“There were four girls sitting outside the bus, sobbing,” first baseman Jared Walsh told the Los Angeles Times, recounting a story from when they were on the road, “because they knew he was on the bus.”

“Mike Trout is a pretty big deal, but I’ve never seen any girl outside the bus sobbing because Mike Trout was on it,” Walsh said. “I think Shohei might have trumped him there.”

Not only are Ohtani’s skills on the field prodigious, but the man behind the helmet is, apparently, a big softie.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him upset,” Center fielder Mike Trout said.

“He’s a sweetheart,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said.

Though he was eliminated in the 1st Round by Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani hit six 500-foot home runs, the most in a single Home Run Derby since Statcast began tracking in 2016. pic.twitter.com/uJOW6NwIbf

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 13, 2021

“You hear this a lot about Trout: He’s a better person than he is a ballplayer,” Angels pitching coach Matt Wise said. “I would say that about Sho.”

“He’s always pretty loose and friendly in the clubhouse,” pitcher Dylan Bundy said. “He talks to pretty much everybody, or tries to.”

“It’s not like there is some weird, awkward language barrier. He is very much integrated into the clubhouse and the fabric of the team,” said pitcher Andrew Heaney.

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— PlayNinjala (@playninjala) July 6, 2021

“I can definitely say that his English is a lot further along than my Japanese would be if I were over there,” Walsh said. “He’s picked up on some of the American slang too.”

In a year of slightly off-kilter baseball, it seems a hero has emerged: Shohei Ohtani, a true double-threat with a fantastic smile.