BTS's V Throws Ceremonial First Pitch at Dodgers, Meets Ohtani

The Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night with a ceremonial first pitch that carried extra significance for fans of BTS. BTS member Kim Taehyung, known as V, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium, delivering a moment that paired pop culture with Major League Baseball and marked his first overseas ceremonial pitch. The event, which also featured a brief meeting with two-way star Shohei Ohtani, showcased the crossover appeal that has kept V and BTS in the global spotlight as the group prepares new music following their military service in South Korea.

V arrived at the mound wearing a Dodgers jersey bearing his stage name and a No. 7, tucked into casual jeans. He bowed toward Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers pitcher who caught the strike he delivered. After the throw, V greeted the crowd with a wave and walked into the dugout, where he exchanged a few words with Yamamoto and briefly with Tyler Glasnow. He then returned to the field for lefthanded warmup pitches as the stadium lights and cameras captured the moment. The moment was punctuated by fans chanting and the arena reportedly playing BTS’s Mic Drop as V prepared to take the ceremonial...