The baseball world had waited a long time to see Shohei Ohtani in the postseason, but its receiving everything they’ve hoped for with the Los Angeles Dodgers locked into an exciting National League Division Series with the San Diego Padres.
Other matchups around the league have been entertaining, but perhaps none as compelling as the Dodgers versus Padres. Without question, Ohtani is playing a key role in the battle, having several big swings.
With 3602 career plate appearances before taking one in the postseason, the 30-year-old has waited for moments for quite some time. One thing that has been noticeable has been his outward emotion throughout each contest, something that hasn’t been a huge part of his game in previous years.
“Playing a regular season game and playing a playoff game is different,” Ohtani said. “I think a lot of players end up showing their emotions. So I feel like I’m part of that.”
Fans received a glimpse of his raw emotion during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, and at times when Ohtani was with the Los Angeles Angels.
A main point for him is contributing in any way possible to be the best he can for his teammates, something he echoed when commenting on asked if the intensity of the moment calls for a bit more.
“First and foremost, I’m really focused on winning the game and whatever I can do to help the team win the game,” Ohtani said. “That’s something that I really focus on instead of overcomplicating things and thinking besides that.”
Following his Game 1 home run against the Padres, Ohtani let out a roar, alongside flipping his bat down the first base line. That swing brought the Dodgers back from an early deficit before they went on to win the game.
The Dodgers entrenched themselves with one of the toughest Division Series matchups around the league against the Padres. Coming down to the wire against a division opponent has been met with the rise in play when it matters from Ohtani in his first glimpse of October baseball.
Shohei Ohtani on Dodgers clubhouse
Some extracurricular activities by fans in Dodger Stadium sparked a bit of awkward energy, coupled with the confident, showboating nature of Padres players, could have sent things south for the Dodgers. But they rebounded after going down in the series.
In Game 4, the Dodgers sent Padres starter Dylan Cease packing after an incredibly short outing, running away with the game 8-0, sending the series back to Los Angeles. Ohtani spoke on the team’s win, noting that there hasn’t been a major dip in their confidence, or vibe.
“The vibe in the clubhouse was pretty good yesterday,” Ohtani said the day after Game 4. “And we were able to bring that over into the game and we played well.”
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