When watching two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani play baseball, one is often left to marvel and wonder if the person they just witnessed is human or superhuman. Even Ohtani's own manager, Dave Roberts, after watching the superstar slugger belt a home run in front of his native country in the club's 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs, had to remind himself out loud that Ohtani still does mundane tasks just like all other humans.
"I know Shohei puts his pants on just like we all do—one leg at a time," Roberts said while speaking to reporters Wednesday. "But if there's ever a superhero, I think Shohei just seems like a superhero. And in the biggest of games and the biggest of moments, he seems to always deliver."
Ohtani was at the height of his powers in the two-game Tokyo Series against the Cubs. Just days after crushing a two-run home run in an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants, Ohtani rapped out two hits and scored a pair of runs in the Dodgers' 4-1 victory on Tuesday.
After Tuesday's game, Ohtani admitted to feeling "nervous"—so he is human!—about playing in front of the fans in his native country. But no one would have ever known after what he did in the series' second game.
On Wednesday, the Japanese slugger narrowly missed a home run on the first pitch of the game. Later on in the top of the fifth inning, Ohtani, with a little help from a fan in the bleachers, left the yard with a solo shot that extended Los Angeles's lead to 6-2.
The Cubs, well aware of Ohtani's superpowers by the time his fourth plate appearance rolled around in the top of the seventh inning, elected to intentionally walk the Dodgers' big bopper, to the chagrin of the fans at the Tokyo Dome.
In his first season with the Dodgers and first campaign as a full-time hitter, Ohtani in '24 authored the first 50-home run, 50-stolen base season while taking home MVP honors for the third time in his career. In getting off to a quick start in '25, Ohtani seems to be in midseason form.
