Baseball’s All-Star week turns the host city into the epicenter of the sport in all of its color. In July 2025, Atlanta became that stage. The 95th Midsummer Classic called a temporary cease-fire in the most heated rivalries of baseball. The break started with the Futures Game and Celebrity Softball on Saturday, July 12. And on Monday night, with the T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Truist Park, bitter rivals mingled, putting their season-long battles on pause. And Shohei Ohtani used that relaxed setting to drop a memorable punchline.

During the Home Run Derby, Ohtani was seen messing with the San Diego Padres’ closer Robert Suarez. The Dodgers star came over with a purpose. Ohtani dramatically grabbed his own shoulder as if he were in great pain from an incident that happened a month ago.

A brilliant comedic bit had Suarez in stitches. The hard-throwing reliever’s guard dropped, and he broke out into a real laugh. The two shook hands and hugged, and Ohtani once more pointed to his shoulder before they broke apart.

Remember what happened on June 19? During the last game of a heated four-game series, Ohtani was hit by Suarez. He was struck by a 99.8-mph fastball in the upper back. The Dodgers’ dugout began to partially empty, ready for a brawl. But Ohtani calmly held up his hand, waving his teammates back to the dugout. His extraordinary poise somehow halted the field chaos.

Suarez’s attack could’ve been a response to what transpired just moments before.

During the top half of that inning, Dodgers’ first-year player Jack Little hit the Padres’ superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. That altercation set off a bench-clearing brawl, which resulted in the ejections of both skippers, Dave Roberts and Mike Shildt. This was the eighth and last in a sequence of hits by pitches that showcased a series filled with animosity.

And now, this viral moment recreated by Ohtani’s All-Star prank was not only brilliant, but it also relaxed a month’s worth of tension…

Alongside his unmatched skills, Ohtani brings with him a weird charm that his teammates find adorable.

Beyond the bat flip: The unwritten rules of Ohtani’s humor

Ohtani’s trolling of Suarez was far from an isolated incident.

In a match against Arizona, he saw Lourdes Gurriel Jr. do a particular bat toss at a home run. Then Ohtani went and hit a go-ahead home run of his own. And then, he celebrated the feat in the same way as Gurriel, which his teammates found to be a subtle but direct joke.

In fact, his own teammates couldn’t evade the bazingas… After rookie Andy Pages made a fielding error, Ohtani was on camera doing a funny reenactment of the goofy mistake during pregame warmups.

Even rival fans find it nearly impossible to dislike him. On a San Diego Padres fan forum, a thread about the Suarez joke was simply titled, “Hard to hate Shohei.”

But it was not just Shotime, the All-Star festivities had a lot of other fun, low-key moments.

New York Yankees star Jazz Chisholm Jr. provided a memorable vibe at the Home Run Derby. And after being eliminated early on, he was seen enjoying the vibe. Fans lauded his “unmatched energy” and pure joy for the game.

And at the celebrity softball game, comedian Druski made his presence known with a viral moment and plenty of swag. Asked what position he would play, he responded boldly, “I feel like I’m the best option at any position. I haven’t played since fifth grade.”

Not all trolling was face-to-face, either. When asked about a surprise All-Star selection, Phillies veteran Nick Castellanos dryly remarked to the media, “It’s turning into the Savannah bananas,” a witty jab at the selection process.

These moments illuminate the special magic of the All-Star Game. For a couple of days, the intense pressure of the pennant race fades away. Players get to celebrate their incredible talent and, more importantly, have fun. Now, as the National League’s starting leadoff hitter, all eyes will be on Shohei Ohtani in the main event. Excited?