Shohei Ohtani bobblehead night: Dodgers star makes MLB history after catching first pitch from his dog

Los Angeles Dodgers fans love Shohei Ohtani. And maybe even more, they love his dog, Dekopin (aka Decoy).

On Wednesday, they got to see both: Ohtani made MLB history, caught a ball from his dog and created the longest lines you’ll ever see at Dodger Stadium.

It was no surprise that when the Dodgers announced they would be giving away an Ohtani and Decoy bobblehead, fans began preparing, clearing their schedules to ensure they could be among the first 40,000 fans to enter Dodger Stadium on Wednesday.

By 1:22 p.m. PT — roughly six hours before first pitch, four hours before gates open, and three and a half hours before parking gates open — there were enough fans lined up at the Sunset Boulevard Gate to go around the block and then some. Many of them had been there before 11 a.m., too.

Unsurprisingly, the lines only got longer as the match drew closer, with the stadium seeing a “waiting for water in an apocalyptic world” type of queue in the final hour.

It’s hard to blame fans for not wanting to leave anything to chance. With 40,000 bobbleheads available and a capacity of 56,000 at Dodger Stadium, not everyone is guaranteed a souvenir.

Decoy was present at the event and “threw” the first pitch to his owner, to loud applause. He followed this up with a high-five for his owner, who revealed after the game that it had taken him three weeks to train.

Ohtani was less kind to the next pitcher he faced, hitting his 42nd home run of the season against Baltimore Orioles starter Corbin Burnes in the final inning.

Ohtani followed this up by finishing second and third on a passed ball for his 41st and 42nd home runs of the year.

That performance gave Ohtani a 42-42 season, tying Alex Rodriguez for the most totals in both home runs and stolen bases in MLB history. One more home run and stolen base and Ohtani will have set a total the likes of which baseball has never seen, with a 50-50 season looming.

All of that played a key role in the Dodgers’ 6-4 victory, which improved their record to 78-54, the best in MLB.

Ohtani-Decoy bobblehead night is just the latest hype

This isn’t even the first Ohtani bobblehead the Dodgers have given away this season (the other one was also popular), but Decoy has been a big draw for many fans looking for some unique and cute memorabilia.

Decoy, a Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, has been in the spotlight since Ohtani’s MVP acceptance speech last year, and his initially unfamiliar name became a storyline as Ohtani entered the most lucrative free agency in the history of professional sports. He eventually revealed the name during his introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium, and fans were quick to embrace their new furry mascot.

These fans also included the American Embassy in Japan.

As if demand for the Decoy bobblehead wasn’t enough, last week the Dodgers announced an even rarer (and slightly creepy) gold variant of the figure.

Of course, not everyone in line was a fan. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 80 promised bobbleheads were up for sale at a fixed price on eBay, all for at least $160. Another 60 were up for auction.

It was a dream first season for Ohtani in Dodger Blue — or at least as good as it gets when he can’t pitch. The two-way star has responded to that limitation by expanding his offensive game even further, particularly on the basepaths.

Ohtani last week became the sixth MLB player to join the 40-homer, 40-stolen-base club and is by far the fastest to do so. As long as he stays healthy, he’s on track to become the first player to post a 45-45 season and could even have a shot at a seemingly mythical 50-50 season.

The Dodgers will need every ounce they can get from Ohtani as injuries have plagued the team on both sides of the ball. Despite those significant obstacles, the team entered Wednesday with a 78-54 record, tied for the best in MLB, and a three-game lead in the NL West.