Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas Says Shohei Ohtani Is Not Exempt From Team Initiation

Not even two-time MVP winners are exempt from team initiation. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a specific routine for welcoming new players to their team, and they won't be making an exception for this offseason's grand prize Shohei Ohtani, who inked a 10-year, $700 million contract, a record deal in pro sports, back in December. 

Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas shared that the team has a tradition in which new players must tell a good story or they have to sit on the toilet of the team bus. Here's what Rojas had to say during an appearance on the Chris Rose Rotation podcast. 

The Dodgers are going to make Shohei sit on the toilet if he doesn’t tell a good story on the team bus pic.twitter.com/ZVlYy3OnvF

— Chris Rose Sports (@ChrisRoseSports) February 6, 2024

"I'm telling you right now, Shohei. You better come prepared to your first bus trip because the rules are the rules. We want to know stories. How they become big major league players and how everything started in Japan," Rojas said. 

Rojas went on to explain the, er, unfortunate consequences of not telling a good story. It's clear from Rojas's words that the Dodgers are welcoming Ohtani with open arms—and not cutting him any slack when it comes to the unwritten rules.