Shohei Ohtani’s first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers had gone off without a hitch on the field. As manager Dave Roberts’ every day designated hitter — while still recovering from Tommy John surgery as a pitcher — Ohtani has absolutely dominated Major League Baseball.
He is at the top of the leaderboards in batting average (.350), slugging percentage (.661) and on-base plus slugging (1.079) in the Majors while also compiling the most hits (64) and most home runs in the National League (13).
By just about every metric, Ohtani has been the best hitter in the Majors. And he’s doing so in his first season with a new team while off the field stuff has threatened his rhythm.
While making a team switch in the offseason and rehabbing a second torn UCL, Ohtani also had to deal with his interpreter and best friend, Ippei Mizuhara, stealing millions of dollars from him to settle gambling debts.
But through it all, Ohtani has never lost his composure.
And above everything else, that is what has impressed Roberts the most about what he’s seen from Ohtani, according to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“I think it’s very impressive, given all that he’s had to go through,” Roberts said after Tuesday’s latest star turn by Ohtani. “But I think that the overarching thing that he’s craved and desired so long is to play for a winner, and play for a team that’s trying to play for a championship. And not to take anything away from the Angels, but I think what we’ve done – he’s seen that, and I think that’s raising his level of play, keeping his focus every at-bat, every day, and then you’re seeing what he’s capable of.”
The Dodgers were able to prove over the last decade that they are a winning organization capable of getting Ohtani where he wants to be as a player. And while the counting stats and nothing short of incredible, Ohtani is also getting to do this while playing winning baseball.
L.A. is one of three teams to have 30 wins this season.
As he gets further removed from the drama of the offseason and Spring Training, he figures to lock in even more in an effort to bring a World Series to L.A.
Shohei Ohtani says to celebrate May 17 with sushi or pizza
Ohtani was all jokes after being honored with the inaugural Shohei Ohtani Day in Los Angeles, which will be every May 17 for the length of his contract with the Dodgers.
He said to celebrate, people should have sushi or pizza as the food of choice.
