LOS ANGELES (KTLA) — Shohei Ohtani is a special player, so it’s only natural that he is one of six MLB players to sport a special jersey this season.
The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar will resume his pitching duties in the 2025 season after taking a year off while recovering from elbow surgery. But that’s not the only thing that’s new for the Japanese sensation.
As part of a new program from Major League Baseball, in partnership with trading card company Topps and apparel merchant Fanatics, Ohtani will be one of six players this season rocking a special patch on his jersey.
Ohtani, as the reigning 2024 National League MVP, will wear a gold MLB “logoman” patch on the back of his jersey this year, just above the nameplate. You can see it in the photo below from Saturday’s spring training game between the Dodgers and the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo.
The other players with the patch will be the other five major award winners from 2024:
- New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge: American League MVP
- Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale: National League Cy Young Award winner
- Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal: American League Cy Young Award winner
- Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes: National League Rookie of the Year
- New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil: American League Rookie of the Year
The twist on this new program? Each player will be featured on 10 limited edition trading cards that include an authenticated game-worn gold patch from their jerseys, giving fans a chance to find a piece of baseball history.
The special gold patches will also be included on the players’ retail jerseys, meaning that anyone who purchases a brand-new jersey matching any of the players above this season will have the gold patch on their back.