Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels is one athlete making headlines in Major League Baseball in 2021. Since Babe Ruth, no MLB player has had as impressive stats as a pitcher and hitter as Ohtani in 2021.
Ohtani, who owns a Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) automobile, may soon get the attention of investors.
What Happened: In the offseason, Ohtani obtained a United States driver’s license and was observed driving a Tesla to Spring Training. He didn’t have a license in Japan because the application process was more expensive and took longer.
“#ShoheiOhtani, a major league sensation, chose the #ModelX as his first car! Shohei, you made a good decision “Hiromichi Mizuno just posted a video. Mizuno will be joining the Tesla Board of Directors in 2020.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, replied with a heart emoji and a Japanese flag emoji.
Ohtani has owned the vehicle for months, but with Musk’s tweet and response, the tale may garner additional attention. Add in the MLB All-Star Game, where Ohtani will be one of the main themes.
If Shohei Ohtani Wins The American League MVP, You Can Double Your Money
The Reason for Its Importance: Mizuno joined Tesla with a background in finance and investment in a number of nations, including Japan.
Although Japan is the world’s fourth largest car market, Tesla has struggled to break into it. The Model S and Model X are too huge for Japanese parking structures, and the vehicles are also too expensive.
Tesla prices have decreased in Japan, thanks to the new Gigafactory Shanghai in China, which has helped to slash costs by reducing the number of vehicles delivered from California.
Tesla vehicle sales in Japan increased by 1,300 percent in March 2021 compared to the previous year. According to Bloomberg, Tesla Model 3 delivery times have increased due to high demand, with timeframes now ranging from 12 to 16 weeks compared to the usual 6 to 8 weeks.
In Japan, Telsa sold less than 2,000 units in the entire year of 2020. Tesla has been selling automobiles in Japan for six years, and Musk has previously referred to it as one of the most significant markets for the company.
Ohtani Might Be Able to Help: Ohtani is one of baseball’s most popular players, drawing fans of the sport from his native Japan to Angels games.
Only half of the respondents interviewed in Japan have heard of Tesla, according to a 2019 Nikkei Research study. In comparison, 98 percent of those asked knew who Nissan was.
On DraftKings Inc, Ohtani is suddenly a -275 favorite to win the AL MVP (NASDAQ: DKNG). For the MLB All-Star Game, Ohtani received the most votes.
Ohtani has the most home runs (32), triples (4), and slugging percentage in the American League (.700). Ohtani also has a 4-1 pitching record, a 3.49 ERA, and a 1.21 WHIP. In 13 games, Ohtnai has 87 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched.
Ohtani’s use of the vehicle could be highlighted by Tesla. While Tesla has previously avoided advertising and advertisements, Ohtani could be the ideal spokesperson to increase Tesla’s popularity in Japan.
(C) 2021 Benzinga.com/hj west/Flickr/hj west/Flickr/hj west/Flickr/hj west/Flickr/hj_ Benzinga does not offer financial advice. All intellectual property rights are reserved./n
