V of K-pop sensation BTS thrills fans with first pitch at Dodgers game and meets Shohei Ohtani

By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — V of K-pop sensation BTS threw the ceremonial first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game on Monday night after meeting two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

After taking the mound, the singer bowed slightly in the direction of Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who then caught a strike from the left-hander. BTS fans screamed throughout V’s time on the field.

V then gave the traditional call of “It’s time for Dodger baseball!” in English before individually greeting the kids who run on the field to get player autographs before the game.

The singer, whose given name is Kim Taehyung, and Ohtani briefly hugged in the team’s dugout before the game against Cincinnati. Wearing a No. 7 jersey tucked into his faded jeans, V also chatted with Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow in front of a gaggle of photographers. Fans screamed when V walked into the dugout. He rewarded them with a wave.

V returned to the field to toss left-handed warmup pitches while fans held up their camera phones.

BTS is set to release a new album as a full group next spring, following the band members’ break due to mandatory military service in South Korea. Since July, they have been in the U.S. working on new music.

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