Shohei Ohtani has chance to right previous Dodgers wrong with 1 simple act

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani made the NL All-Star team on Wednesday night in just his latest accolade. He's also in discussion for the NL Triple Crown and MVP. While Ohtani has a lot to celebrate, he could also make one Dodgers fan a whole lot happier with one simple act of kindness.

You may remember that after Ohtani hit his first home run as a Dodger, the mad scramble and subsequent interrogation from team security made for a PR disaster.

“We’re not trying to extort anyone. It’s not that we’re money hungry,” Dodgers fan Ambar Roman's husband, Alexis Valenzuela, said. “It’s just that it’s a special moment, it’s a special ball. I just think it’s fair for it to be equally rewarded.”

The fans who caught said ball thought they'd meet Ohtani in an exchange of memorabilia. Instead, that never occurred, despite Ohtani claiming through an interpreter that he had, in fact, met the fans.

“I was able to talk to the fan, and was able to get it back,” Ohtani said through Will Ireton. “Obviously it’s a very special ball, a lot of feelings toward it, I’m very grateful that it’s back.”

The Dodgers blamed that translation on a misinterpretation, which is a fair excuse. Still, it's not a great look, especially when Ohtani is schedule to make $700 million over the next few decades.

Shohei Ohtani act of kindness could go a long way with Dodgers fans

Fast forward to Tuesday night, when Ohtani hit what eventually became a game-winning home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Through no fault of his own, a group of Dodgers fans reached for the home run ball, which eventually hit a child in the head.

It appears the young fan was okay, but it would be a generous act for Ohtani and the Dodgers to reach out and provide him with some signed memorabilia, and perhaps a ball as well. This isn't because Ohtani has done anything wrong, or owes Dodgers fans, per say. It's just the right thing to do. An act of kindness can go a long way in this world.

While Dodgers fans already love Ohtani for all that he brings to the baseball diamond, to further endear himself to a new area and demographic, it'd be wise for him to take an unprompted step here. Not only will the local press eat it up, but skeptical fans should consider it an olive branch. Ohtani is wearing Dodger blue for the next decade, after all.