Shohei Ohtani was asked whether he felt nervous about playing in his first postseason game, and he gave a quick response before his interpreter could even step in.
“Nope,” Ohtani replied in English.
On Saturday, Ohtani will step onto the playoff stage for the first time as his team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, faces off against the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series. Speaking through his interpreter, Ohtani shared, “It’s always been my childhood dream to be able to be in an important game.”
“So I think the excitement of that is greater than anything else that I could possibly feel,” he continued.
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Shohei Ohtani stole 59 bases. After securing a massive 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, Ohtani’s first season with the team has been nothing short of remarkable.
He wrapped up the regular season with a .310 batting average and led the National League with a 1.036 OPS. His stats are incredible: 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, and 38 doubles.
But that’s not all—Ohtani also stole 59 bases, becoming the first player in MLB history to record a 50-50 season (50 homers and 50 stolen bases).
With the Dodgers holding onto a slim lead in the NL West, Ohtani turned up the intensity. Instead of worrying about mechanics, he focused solely on each individual at-bat. This led to an explosive end to the season. He ended with a 12-game hitting streak, during which he batted .547/.586/1.057. Ohtani went on to hit seven home runs, and drove in 22 RBIs.
“He didn’t get out,” said Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman with a laugh. “[As the Dodgers got] closer and closer to winning the division, he seemed to pick it up. We saw it in the WBC, representing Japan. He’s already played in big moments. But I’m excited for him to be in his first postseason.”
From the moment the Dodgers signed Ohtani, baseball fans knew this extraordinary talent would finally get a chance to experience playoff action. That time has arrived, and all eyes are on Ohtani. It might just be the kind of spotlight he thrives in.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “He’s played in a lot of big ballgames, and I think it’s more for us as fans to see that it’s something that’s new to him to see how it plays out. But if there’s any person that I feel is going to be able to handle this, it’s certainly Shohei.”
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Image Credit: © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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