What Shohei Ohtani thought of Yankees fans’ boos

Yankees fans let Shohei Ohtani have it during a 2-1 win over the Angels at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.

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NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani didn’t want to look.

The New York City back pages hadn’t been particularly kind to the Japanese star, who turned down signing with the Yankees in the offseason. The tabloids weren’t happy the Angels moved the right-hander from his marquee start Sunday in the Bronx against fellow countryman and star Masahiro Tanaka.

Still, Ohtani saw them, and he heard loud boos when the Yankees beat the Angels, 2-1, at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.

Ohtani didn’t help much, going 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout looking. He also lost in a clutch battle with closer Aroldis Chapman. With a runner on second base, Ohtani nearly homered off a Chapman 100-mph fastball. instead it went foul to left field and Ohtani eventually grounded out to shortstop to end the threat.

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Here’s what Ohtani said, via his translator, about the boos and about the back pages:

So, the newspaper, my interpreter brought it to me. I didn’t really want to see it but I was kind of forced to. And the booing, it’s not the first time it’s happened. So you get kind of used to it. Just trying to shut that out of my mind and focus on my at-bat.

The Angels’ PR staff cut off a reporter asking Ohtani why he didn’t want to sign with a big-market team, such as the Yankees, in the offseason.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.