Dodgers manager Dave Roberts doesn't think slugger Shohei Ohtani heard Toronto fans' taunts

TORONTO (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts doesn't think Shohei Ohtani heard fans in Toronto taunting him during Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night, and he doesn't think the Japanese two-way sensation is bothered much by boos anyway.

Upset that Ohtani spurned the Blue Jays to sign a $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December 2023, fans in Toronto chanted “We don’t need you!” when he came to the plate in the ninth inning with his team trailing by seven runs.

Fans also booed Ohtani during pregame introductions. Ohtani appeared to smile at those jeers, but Roberts doesn't think he caught the late barbs.

Ohtani was booed and met with the same chant — but not from the entire crowd — leading off Game 2, when he flied out to left field. He was 1 for 4 in Saturday's 5-1 victory that evened the Series.

“I don’t think he understood the chants,” Roberts said before Game 2. “As far as being booed, I think that he understands why he was booed. I don’t think he minds it. I don’t think it necessarily fuels his fire. I’ve used this word with Shohei a lot: he’s just a really good compartmentalizer, so I don’t think it really affects him, and he’s just there to just do his job.”

Roberts later said Ohtani was too focused on batting to pay attention to the chants in the ninth.

“He was hitting and it was muddled,” Roberts said. “I heard it, but I wasn’t hitting. My point being is that I understand he understands the language, but he’s still hitting in the box. I don’t think his focus was on a chant.”

Ohtani hit his first World Series homer Friday but also grounded out with the bases loaded in the second inning. His lone hit was the soaring two-run shot to right field off Braydon Fisher in the seventh, but it came with LA trailing 11-2.

Ohtani faced four different pitchers, two right-handers and two left-handers, in his five plate appearances. He finished 1 for 4 with a walk and struck out twice.

“That’s what we’re trying to do,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said of the different looks. “It’s a seven-game series. You never know how it unfolds, but I’m sure at some point there’ll be some familiarity."

As MLB commissioner Rob Manfred noted on the field before Game 2, Ohtani has sparked record viewership in Japan by helping the Dodgers reach the Series in consecutive years.

“Shohei, it just absolutely has been the greatest benefit to the game that you can imagine throughout the year,” Manfred said. “In the LCS he had probably the greatest game of all time and we’re fortunate to have him here in the World Series.”

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Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani strikes out during the first inning in Game 1 of baseball's World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, left, two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) and shortstop Mookie Betts (50) listen to the Canadian national anthem as Royal Canadian Mounted Police look on, ahead of the first inning Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Game 1 of baseball's World Series, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Toronto. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning in Game 1 of baseball's World Series, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a two-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning in Game 1 of baseball's World Series, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Toronto. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani hits a two-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning of Game 1 of baseball's World Series in Toronto, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

In the past week, many Americans remained focused on the economy, inflation and how those forces could impact their lives. Trips to the grocery store or gas station are more painful than they were last year, and that is impacting the decisions of both households and businesses.

Here’s a snapshot of prominent economic data and news that occurred over the past week and what it potentially means for you.

America’s employers delivered a surprising 115,000 new jobs last month despite an economic shock from the Iran war.

Hiring was better than the 65,000 forecasters had expected, though it decelerated from the 185,000 jobs created in March. The unemployment rate remained at a low 4.3%, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Healthcare added 37,000 jobs last month and retailers 22,000. However, manufacturers cut 2,000 jobs in April and have shed 66,000 jobs over the past year despite President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies aimed at creating factory jobs.

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose again this week, reflecting ongoing bond market volatility as surging oil prices due to the war with Iran heighten inflation worries.

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.37% from 6.3% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s still down from one year ago, when the rate averaged 6.76%.

This is the second straight weekly increase, bringing the average rate back to where it was four weeks ago.

Weekly U.S. jobless claim applications rose last week but remain at historically low levels despite elevated inflation and other economic headwinds.

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits in the week ending May 2 rose by 10,000 to 200,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s fewer than the 205,000 new applications analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet were expecting.

The previous week’s new claims figure, which was the fewest since 1969, was revised up by 1,000 to 190,000.

Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered a proxy for U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.

U.S. job openings were essentially unchanged in March but hiring improved before the full impact of the Iran war hit the economy.

Employers posted 6.87 million jobs in March, compared to 6.92 million in February, the Labor Department reported Tuesday.

The job market has been up and down so far this year after a dismal 2025. And the Iran war, which began Feb. 28, has clouded the outlook for the economy and hiring.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey showed that layoffs rose in March. But hiring improved: Employers added 5.55 million gross jobs, the most since February 2024. More Americans also quit their jobs — a sign of confidence in their prospects.

U.S. stocks rose toward new highs to end the week on promising news in the labor market and also more strong earnings for major U.S. corporations.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.5% toward an all-time high after a report said U.S. employers added 115,000 more jobs than they cut last month, even though the war with Iran is raising fuel costs and uncertainty for everyone.

While hiring slowed from March’s level, it was nevertheless nearly double what economists expected. And it kept the S&P 500 on track for a sixth straight winning week, which would be its longest such streak since 2024. The U.S. stock market has blasted higher since late March, in part on hopes that the war will not mean a worst-case scenario for the global economy and that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen to allow oil tankers to deliver crude from the Persian Gulf again.

Trader Edward McCarthy, left, and Michael Milano work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

FILE - The per-gallon price is displayed elecronically over the grades of gasoline available at a Buc-ee's convenience stop Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Johnstown, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file)

FILE - Hiring sign for sales professionals is displayed at a store, in Vernon Hills, Ill., Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, file)