It was only a few days ago. However, the world can’t forget the game where a Japanese superstar transcended baseball with a performance for the ages. In Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, Shohei Ohtani didn’t simply lead the Dodgers to Victory. He didn’t just hit a few homers.
He redefined what dominance looks like on both sides of the ball.
If there was ever any question of Ohtani’s greatness, the night of October 18th answered it beyond any doubt. Over more than six scoreless innings, the two-way phenom struck out ten Milwaukee Brewers on 97 pitches – including 18 swinging strikes – while launching three home runs which collectively traveled 1,342 feet.
The Dodgers’ 5-1 win sealed a 4-0 series sweep. It punched their ticket to a second straight World Series appearance. For Ohtani, it also secured him the NLCS Most Valuable Player award for his unprecedented heroics.
A Record-Breaking Masterclass
No player in MLB history – regular season or postseason – had ever hit three home runs and struck out ten batters in the same game. That changed with Ohtani.
He did both effortlessly, homering in the first, fourth, and seventh innings, each against a different pitcher. His fastball then averaged an electric 98mph, and he retired 13 of the last 14 hitters he faced before exiting to a standing ovation from more than 52,000 fans at Dodger Stadium.
It was a night of firsts and of history rewritten. Ohtani’s postseason ERA dropped to a minuscule 1.32 with that outing, and his legend grew even larger. For a player who entered the game with an eight-game home run drought, the explosion was a reminder that patience often precedes greatness.
It’s a rhythm that sports fans, and people in general, understand well. The waiting, the frustration, and then the breakthrough. It’s not unlike a player spinning the reels at Ruby Fortune. Slot players know that the eventual win is even more exhilarating with persistence through dry spells. Ohtani’s drought-ending performance carried the same sense of reward: hard-earned and deeply satisfying.
The GOAT Conversation Grows Louder
ESPN’s Buster Olney summed up what many were thinking: “When we first heard about Shohei Ohtani, what was said repeatedly was that he was the Babe Ruth of Japan. Well, Babe Ruth never did what Shohei Ohtani did last night.” Analyst Jeff Passan kept it simple: “The best. Period.”
Even Ohtani’s teammates struggled to find superlatives strong enough. Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts called him “our Michael Jordan”, while manager Dave Roberts declared the outing, “probably the greatest postseason performance of all time.” The superlatives weren’t hyperbole. They were in awe at a player operating in a class of his own.
Humility Amid Greatness
The records. The accolades. The headlines. Despite all these points, Ohtani downplayed his individual brilliance. Speaking through an interpreter, he redirected praise to his teammates: “We won it as a team, and this was really a team effort.”
In the end, Ohtani’s masterpiece wasn’t only about numbers. It factored in the artistry, perseverance, and rare talent that make the impossible appear routine.
