Shohei Ohtani joined the Los Angeles Dodgers to be with a winning organization that is capable of providing him a consistent opportunity to reach the postseason.
Without taking much time to settle in, Ohtani posted one of the greatest offensive years the sport has ever seen, having the league’s first season with 50 home run and 50 stolen bases. Ohtani ended his first National League campaign with a 1.036 on-base plus slugging percentage, 54 homers, 130 RBI and 59 steals.
Ohtani’s success continued through the NL Division and Championship Series, going 12-for-42 with a .934 OPS, three home runs and 10 RBI. But looking ahead to his first World Series appearance after dismal years with the Los Angeles Angels, he feels like this is his time.
“I really feel like we finally arrived, I finally arrived at this stage,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “A lot of the games we played were really tough and hard to win. It was truly a team effort to get here.”
The expectations of what Ohtani brought were incredibly high, but he showcased his immense ability and surpassed all projected marks. In hindsight, his 701 games with the Angels without a postseason appearance weren’t enough to detract him from his current focus, which is playing on the biggest stages.
“The goal was to get to this far and I also pictured myself getting this far with the contract that I’ve signed,” Ohtani added. “Just being able to play on this kind of stage with the team effort, and all the games were really hard. But I’m just glad that we’re at this stage right now.”
The Dodgers leaned on Ohtani for much of the regular season as their roster underwent a number of shifts given their injury woes. The constant has been the leading candidate for the National League MVP and a relentless nature to pressure opponents.
His mentality is infectious among teammates, and his fun-loving clubhouse attitude has made him an instant favorite among fans and running-mates. With the World Series upcoming, Ohtani has an opportunity to be the greatest player on the planet in front of a global audience.
Shohei Ohtani vs. Yankees
Ohtani has faced a number of the Yankees’ pitchers because of his time with the Angels and the Dodgers’ series in New York this year.
In 26 career games against the Yankees, Ohtani has hit .209/.327/.571 with nine home runs, 18 RBI and 16 walks. A big factor is his extra-base threat, which could loom large with opposing pitchers nibbling around the strike zone setting up those behind him in the lineup.
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