The Los Angeles Dodgers are returning to the World Series for the first time since 2020, when they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, marking their seventh World Series title. In that year, Shohei Ohtani was playing his third season in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the Los Angeles Angels.
Fast forward four years, Ohtani is now in his first season with the Dodgers and has made history as one of the most exceptional talents in the sport. His home runs, runs scored and batted in, stolen bases, and numerous other statistics have positioned him as a favorite to win the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
However, Ohtani’s primary goal remains winning the World Series. He will have the opportunity to do so against the New York Yankees, another MLB powerhouse, in a matchup that hasn’t occurred since 1981.
In a press conference following his team’s victory over the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series, Ohtani remarked, “The goal was to get here. I imagined reaching this point (the World Series) with the contract I signed. Many of the games we played were really tough and hard to win. It was a team effort to get here.”
Shohei Ohtani, born on July 5, 1994, in Mizusawa, Oshu, Japan, stands at 1.93 meters tall. His father, Toru, played baseball on a semi-professional team, while his mother, Kayoko, competed in badminton. Ohtani began his professional baseball career in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and debuted at 18 with the Nippon-Ham Fighters, where he played for five seasons.
In 2018, he entered the MLB after signing with the Angels, where he stood out as both a hitter and a pitcher for six seasons, but did not reach the postseason with that team.
In February 2024, Ohtani announced his marriage, later revealing to have wed former professional basketball player Mamiko Tanaka. His life seemingly revolves around sports.
The Japanese star made headlines in December 2023 after signing a record-breaking ten-year contract with the Dodgers worth $700 million. This deal nearly doubles the previous largest contract for an MLB free agent, which was $360 million over nine seasons for Aaron Judge with the Yankees, also in 2023.
Ohtani opted for a notable choice: deferring $68 million of his annual salary of $70 million for ten years, which means the Dodgers will pay him $2 million per season, with the remaining $680 million paid out starting in the 2033 MLB season. This strategy, according to a source familiar with the deal, aims to allow the Dodgers to field strong players around Ohtani, thereby enhancing their competitiveness while also offering potential tax benefits to Ohtani given California’s tax policies.
However, the start of his time with the Dodgers was marred by controversy. Ohtani’s long-time interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, pleaded guilty in June 2024 to fraud and tax charges for stealing nearly $17 million from the baseball player to cover gambling debts. Both Ohtani and Mizuhara claimed he was unaware of the gambling addiction and theft.
“This has been an exceptionally challenging time, and I am especially grateful for my support team: my family, agent, agency, lawyers, and advisors, along with the entire Dodgers organization, who showed infinite support throughout this process. It’s time to close this chapter, move on, and continue focusing on playing and winning games,” Ohtani stated in a release following Mizuhara’s guilty plea.
On September 19, 2024, Ohtani made history by creating the 50-50 club. He hit his 50th home run and stole his 50th base in a game against the Miami Marlins. This milestone marked the first time in MLB history that a player achieved such a feat in a single season, securing the Dodgers’ spot in the postseason as well.
Ohtani’s exceptional first season with the Dodgers is noteworthy, especially since he has not pitched this year due to undergoing elbow surgery, with plans to return to pitching in 2025. As a designated hitter, he finished the regular season with 134 runs scored, 130 runs batted in, 59 stolen bases, and 54 home runs. During the postseason, he has scored 12 runs, driven in 10, and hit 3 home runs.
Despite Ohtani’s evident stardom amidst a league currently devoid of many prominent stars, his focus on teamwork remains clear.