Shohei Ohtani fan interference no-call has Cubs conspiracy theorists out in full force

Shohei Ohtani hit his first home run of the season on Wednesday in the Tokyo Dome off the Chicago Cubs bullpen, providing Roki Sasaki with extra run support during his MLB debut. The Tokyo Dome crowd was a little overzealous in watching Ohtani's first blast of the season, which prompted a fan interference review.

As this still shot points out, a Dodgers fan appeared to reach over the wall, thus catching Ohtani's deep blast to center and bringing the ball into the stands. That – if it's actually what occurred – would suggest fan interference. Even the broadcast crew was surprised by the uniquely-quick review process of this play.

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Did MLB miss fan interference on Shohei Ohtani's home run?

Now, MLB and its umpires have far more angles of this play than we do, but the sketchy nature of Ohtani's home run has Cubs fans in a frenzy. Sure, it's just the second game of the season, but the Dodgers are already a force to be reckoned with. Do they really need the calls in their favor, as well?

The Dodgers hit one two-run homer following a missed strike three on Enrique Hernandez. That, plus a possible fan interference on Ohtani's blast, is a three-run deficit alone against one of the best MLB teams ever assembled. The Cubs were underdogs in this series to begin with for a reason. Facing a team of Japanese superstars in Tokyo was always bound to be a tough task for Chicago.

I'd argue that it's far too early to be complaining about such things. In reality, every team is the victim of poor strike calls and umpire decisions throughout the season – even the Dodgers. Surely it'll even out over 162 games, but Cubs fans have a right to be upset on a national stage.

What is fan interference in MLB?

To put it simply, fan interference is when a supporter reaches over the wall and into the field of play to aid a home run. It can also be when a fan interferes with a player's glove on such a play, which has occurred in the past. Per the MLB rulebook, fan interference is "when a spectator clearly prevents a fielder from catching a fly ball by reaching onto the field of play, the batter shall be ruled out. But no interference is called if a spectator comes in contact with a batted or thrown ball without reaching onto the field of play -- even if a fielder might have caught the ball had the spectator not been there."

In this case, the Cubs outfielder would not have made a play on the ball, meaning Ohtani would've been given a double if fan interference had been called.