Shohei Ohtani Makes Unexpected Move After Dodgers Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sami Haider | Last updated Apr 19, 2026 10:32 AM ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers dropped a 4-3 decision to the Colorado Rockies on Saturday. It was a tough loss for them as they arrived at Coors Field with a dominant 15-4 record. This loss also ended their four-game winning streak. But the most memorable moment of the afternoon came before the first pitch.

During Shohei Ohtani’s pregame throwing routine on the field, Momoyo Kelly, a 100-year-old survivor of the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki, was brought down to the warning track in a wheelchair.

Born in 1926 in Kumamoto, Japan, she was 19 years old and living in Nagasaki when the bomb was dropped on August 9 of that year. After surviving the blast, she worked on a U.S. Air Force base in Japan, where she met her husband. She moved to the United States at age 26 and built a family here.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts during a game.© Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Accompanied by her daughter and grandson, Patrick, Momoyo attended the game specifically to see her favorite player, Ohtani, who stepped away from his throwing routine to meet her quickly, sign a baseball, and talk with her along the warning track.

The 100-year-old also met manager Dave Roberts, an Okinawa native, who spent several minutes chatting with her. She was also introduced to pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, fulfilling a long-held dream to see them in person.

A moment bigger than baseball ❤️

Shohei Ohtani took time to sign a ball for Momoyo Kelly, a 100-year-old survivor of Atomic bombing of Nagasaki.

Alongside him, Roki Sasaki, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and manager Dave Roberts shared meaningful time with her as well.

Moments like this… pic.twitter.com/PV9Cy864Gj
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) April 19, 2026

Per DodgersBeat, she called the special experience a dream. and later told Chunichi Sports, “He’s the pride of Japan. I watch the Dodgers’ games every day.”

Fans on social media loved the quiet exchange a lot. However, on the field, he is batting .264 with 5 home runs and 10 RBIs in 19 games played this season. On the mound, he remains a dominant force with a 2-0 record, a 0.50 ERA, and 18 strikeouts over 18.0 innings.

On Saturday, the 31-year-old designated hitter extended his on-base streak to 50 games with a ninth-inning single, tying Willie Keeler for the third-longest in Dodgers history since 1900. But none of those stood out like his meeting with Momoyo.

The Dodgers, now 15-5 following the loss, have two more games in Colorado before traveling to Oracle Park for a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants. That series begins Tuesday at 9:45 p.m. ET, and Ohtani is expected to make his next start on the mound during the second game of the set on Wednesday.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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