The classic "tea grinding" gesture returns for Japan's team in the WBC! Shohei Ohtani reveals the heartwarming reason behind it.

Behind the Samurai Japan team's amusing "tea grinding" celebration gesture during this World Baseball Classic lies the delicate intention of team leader Shohei Ohtani to foster team cohesion.

This celebration action, similar to "grinding tea," conceived by pitcher Koki Kitayama of the Nippon-Ham Fighters, was inspired by the "grinding pepper" gesture introduced by outfielder Lars Nootbaar during the 2023 Classic. That gesture quickly became popular among the entire team and fans.

Returning in this Classic, the gesture evolved from "grinding pepper" to "grinding tea," but behind it was Ohtani's considerate effort. He initially smiled and said "no particular reason," then explained that some younger players were hesitant to interact with senior teammates, so he hoped a fun celebration led by more introverted teammates like Akira Kitayama would ease team tension and make everyone feel comfortable.

Shohei Ohtani stated in an interview at Tokyo Dome: "We gradually increased communication. It's not just a performance on the field; through discussions, we tried to create something positive for the team. I think our team communication is excellent."

Japanese fans all hope this superstar's bat will heat up in time to ignite the team's "tea brewing" trend and lead Japan back to glory. When asked about the celebration, manager Hirokazu Ibata smiled and said: "This is something the whole team does together, which is very good. It boosts teamwork and morale, and I believe it will reflect in the game results. Yesterday we probably only drank about six cups of tea," he joked, "hopefully we can drink ten or twenty cups next."