After signing Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Teoscar Hernández, along with acquiring Tyler Glasnow last offseason, expectations were sky high for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Things didn’t always go their way during the 2024 season, and at points, their outlook was bleak due to a constant stream of injuries injuries. However, that did not stop the Dodgers from ending the year as World Series champions.
For Ohtani, it was his first time even making the playoffs after six years with the Los Angeles Angels and their perennial disappointing seasons. Ohtani made winning a focus in his next contract before landing on his record 10-year deal with the Dodgers.
In just his first season with the club, the MVP favorite ended up winning his first ring as well. During the clubhouse celebrations, Ohtani told Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman he wants to win in every year of his contract.
“Let’s do this nine more times,” he said to Friedman.
Ohtani certainly knows how hard it is to win in baseball. The chances of winning even once more are probably not in their favor, just based on the randomness of the MLB postseason and challenges that come over a full season.
However, the Dodgers have also built a sustainable dynasty matched by no other clubs with a chance to win in October every year, and they will have more chances to win when it’s all said and done. Will Ohtani win nine more? Almost certainly not, but he could add a few more by the end of his contract.
Ohtani is all in on winning, and he backed that up with his deferred contract to allow the Dodgers to keep adding talent. Still, there’s a reason no team has won in consecutive seasons in 24 years, the longest active streak in the four major North American sports.
But that doesn’t mean the Dodgers can’t do it, and that will be their focus as they start to get ready for the new season.
“I don’t want to get to pressure yet,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said when Ohtani’s message was relayed to him after Game 5.
“I’ve dealt with pressure quite a bit. I’m going to enjoy this one. But once we get to Spring Training, that’s certainly going to be the goal, yes.”
Shohei Ohtani played with ‘one arm’
The Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees during the 2024 World Series despite Ohtani partially dislocating his left shoulder in Game 2. The two-way star did not miss any time, but he was clearly hampered by the injury as he went just 2-for-19 during the series.
Although he didn’t contribute as much as he would have hoped, Ohtani accomplished his biggest goal of winning the World Series.
“I’m thrilled,” Roberts answered when asked how happy he is for Ohtani. “Six years in the States, arguably the best player in the big leagues. He committed to us and he wanted to play for a championship. For it to come to fruition in his first year is pretty remarkable.
“What Shohei’s done to our ballclub, the Dodger fanbase domestically, globally, I just don’t think you can quantify. And he’s just such a good guy.
“He was playing with one arm in the postseason. Most guys would probably tap out, but he was going to not be denied at playing and posting and being in the lineup.
“So for him to hoist that World Series trophy, that’s something he dreamed of, I’m sure, for quite some time.”
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