Los Angeles Angeles superstar Shohei Ohtani is one of the best baseball players in the entire world. Some would argue he’s the best outright.
His two-way play of pitching and batting, and excelling at both, along with the impact Ohtani is having on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, make him a global sensation.
So if you’re a global baseball phenom, what can’t you live without?
Ohtani, set to make a Major League Baseball-record $65 million according to Forbes, sat down with GQ Sports back in January to share some of the things he can’t live without.
An iPad
The Angels star said he uses his iPad to organize his day, check his stats, analyze his pitching, but also to read his favorite anime books.
At the time of recording, Ohtani was reading “Slam Dunk,” which he said was “really cool.” It made him want to try out basketball, even though he knows he isn’t good at it.
A Pillow
Ohtani featured a pillow from a Japanese brand called AiR by Nishikawa. Ohtani said the company took measurements of his head’s shape and shoulder, and made him a custom pillow from that data.
He claims he doesn’t get a strained neck in the morning as much because of the customized making.
The brand is based in Japan, so when visiting their website, make sure to switch the language to English if you’re interested in learning more. We also included a link to Pluto Pillow, a U.S.-based company that allows you to get a custom pillow based on your body stats, similar to AiR Sleep.
iPhone
The everyday essential is integral to Ohtani.
He actually says he texts more often when in the United States. But he also uses his phone to keep in touch with family and friends on the other side of the Pacific.
Ice Machine
No, not an ice maker. An ice machine.
Ohtani carries an ice machine from the creators of Game Ready so he can use it in his hotel room on away games or even on his day off.
The way the machine works is you add some water and ice, set the time and pressure, and then apply the compression band around the area of concern and let it do it’s thing.
“I’ve done icing previously, but I started to use this machine once I came here,” Ohtani told GQ Sports. “It’s convenient because it’s compact and easy to carry with you.”
Bat
No surprise to see a baseball bat be on the essentials list for a slugger like Ohtani.
Ohtani’s Asics-sponsored bat is made of hard maple and has his name in Japanese characters inscribed on the bat.
“I think I broke about 10 of these,” Ohtani said to GQ Sports.
We couldn’t find Ohtani’s bat on Asics’ website, so here’s an autographed game model bat.
Glove
Ohtani’s glove is essential as he can use it over and over again during games and practice.
He did say he changes his glove every year since the glove model changes every year.
Cleats
Ohtani revealed he uses the same spikes when pitching and hitting, so his cleats get a lot of work during the season.
Heart rate monitor
The first thing Ohtani mentions about the Whoop heart rate monitor is how it keeps track of your sleep and recovery.
Makes sense since sleep and recovery are essential to an athlete’s condition.
Compression System
Similar to the ice machine, Ohtani uses a compression pack on his arms and legs to improve blood circulation through his body.
“Like with the icing, I can use it in my room, essentially at the hotel or while I’m sleeping,” Ohtani told GQ Sports. “I use it when I have some free time. While watching a movie or when sleeping in my bed.”
Weighted sleep mask
We know about weighted blankets, but weighted sleep masks are a way to help your body fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply.
As you can tell, Ohtani really cares about his sleep and recovery, and he has 65 million reasons why. So a weighted sleep mask is essential for the superstar player to maximize his recovery.
“You could say I use it a lot at night when sleeping, but I mostly use it during plane trips,” Ohtain told GQ Sports. “I think it’s important for recovery, and for a deep and good quality sleep, it becomes indispensable.”
