Shohei Ohtani (31) of the Los Angeles Dodgers talked about what it means to play in the Tokyo Series.
The Japanese media outlet Chunichi Sports reported on the 13th that "a wristwatch advertisement for SEIKO featuring Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani has been released. In the making video, Ohtani shared his thoughts on the Major League Baseball opening game at Tokyo Dome."
Ohtani has recorded a career batting average of .282 over 875 games (3,119 at-bats, 878 hits), with 225 home runs, 567 RBIs, 562 runs scored, 145 stolen bases, and an OPS of .946 as a hitter, while he also has played 86 games as a pitcher (481⅔ innings) with a record of 38 wins, 19 losses, and an ERA of 3.01. Ohtani has been performing as Major League Baseball's top superstar. He signed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018 and won the American League Rookie of the Year award in his debut season. He has since been named league MVP three times (2021, 2023, 2024) unanimously.
By signing a 10-year, $700 million contract (1.175 trillion won) with the Dodgers last season, Ohtani set the record for the largest contract in professional sports history at that time. Due to the effects of elbow surgery received in September 2023, he was unable to play both as a pitcher and a hitter. Nevertheless, in his first year with the team, he recorded a batting average of .310 (636 at-bats, 197 hits), with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, 134 runs scored, 59 stolen bases, and an OPS of 1.036, becoming the first player in Major League history to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. He also fulfilled his dream by winning the World Series in his debut postseason.
Ohtani is scheduled to return as a pitcher this year, but he suffered a left shoulder injury during a stolen base attempt in the second game of the World Series last year, which required surgery after the World Series concluded, causing his return to the mound to be delayed. Although the surgery was on his non-throwing shoulder, his pitching program was interrupted due to the surgery. Consequently, an appearance in the Tokyo Series did not materialize.
Nevertheless, Japanese fans' expectations for the Tokyo Series are sky-high. As Japan's top star, Ohtani will play a Major League game in Japan for the first time, joined by fellow Japanese star players like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki (both of the Dodgers), as well as Shota Imamura and Seiya Suzuki (both of the Cubs).
Entering his second year with the Dodgers, Ohtani said, "I want to be healthy and participate in many games. I believe the fans' expectations have grown even more, but I will do my best to exceed that." He went on to explain about not having pitched for a year, "That anxiety doesn't go away, but as I keep pitching, the anxiety will gradually fade, and the fear will disappear. It's common to have a process of taking one step up and then one step back after surgery. It's important for me to maintain a balance where I neither expect too much nor dismiss my own expectations."
Ohtani, who will participate in the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome, recalled, "The first baseball game I ever attended was at Tokyo Dome. At that time, Yoshinobu Takahashi hit a strong liner home run toward left field. I still remember it." He added, "What you experience for the first time never fades. I want to do my best to leave a good impression, especially for the young fans."
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