Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani set a record on the World Series stage in Major League Baseball. His teammates also acknowledged his performance.
Ohtani started as the No. 1 designated hitter in Game 3 of the 2025 MLB postseason World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on the 28th (Korean time), going 4-for-4 with three RBIs in four at-bats. The team won 6-5 after an 18-inning marathon.
Above all, Ohtani's performance stood out. Of his four hits, two were doubles and two were home runs. Four extra-base hits exploded. Four extra-base hits in a World Series game is the first time since Frank Isbell of the 1906 Chicago White Sox recorded four doubles in Game 5 of the World Series. It has been an astonishing 119 years.
Ohtani became a terror for Toronto. After that, Toronto avoided pitching to Ohtani in every matchup. They issued four intentional walks in succession, and in the last instance seemed ready to pitch to him but walked him with a straight ball. The unbelievable record of nine times on base in one postseason game and four intentional walks emerged.
Ohtani's 'MVP teammate' Freddie Freeman praised him, saying, "It's Ohtani's performance," and "He reached base nine times today. It's truly amazing." Freeman was the one who hit the walk-off home run that day. Game 3 ended after a grueling 6 hours, 39 minutes. It was the second-longest game in MLB postseason history, and this was the second time a World Series game went 18 innings; Freeman, who hit the walk-off in the 18th inning, acknowledged Ohtani's performance that day.
Recently Ohtani was also booed by Toronto fans. He was jeered by Toronto fans in Game 1. Game 1 was held at Toronto's home Rogers Centre, and at that time Ohtani was booed by Toronto fans with chants of 'We don't need you!'
He had to endure Toronto fans' jeers every time he stepped to the plate. This stemmed from the sense of betrayal felt by Toronto Blue Jays fans after a false report during the 2023 offseason that Ohtani had boarded a flight to Toronto.
Despite that, Ohtani hit his first personal World Series home run in Game 1. In the top of the seventh with one out and a runner on first, he hit a two-run shot over the right-field wall. Although the team lost 4-11 and it was muted, he showed a fearsome batting touch in Game 3 when he returned to the Dodgers' home field.
Ohtani hit a double in his first at-bat in the bottom of the first with the game scoreless at 0-0. With no follow-up hit, the Dodgers failed to score despite the leadoff runner reaching, but Ohtani recorded his sixth consecutive postseason game with a hit. With the team leading 1-0 in the third, he hit a home run. With one out and no runners on, Ohtani capitalized on Max Scherzer's sixth pitch, a 95.1 mph four-seam fastball, sending a solo home run over the right-field wall.
Despite Ohtani's home run, the Dodgers fell behind 2-4. Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow collapsed in the fourth, giving up four runs. But Ohtani launched a furious attack. In the fifth, with one out and a runner on first, he hit an RBI double against reliever Alex Floré (Flaherty in Korean text likely refers to Adam or another pitcher—keep original as Fluharty) and later Freeman's game-tying RBI single evened the score.
Although the Dodgers gave up a run in the top of the seventh, Ohtani hit a game-tying solo home run in the bottom of the seventh. He targeted and hit the first pitch from Toronto's fourth pitcher, Cerantoni Dominguez, a 97.6 mph heater, tying the game. From his first at-bat that day he hit a double, then a home run, an RBI double and a game-tying shot.
Because his batting touch was so good, Toronto began to avoid pitching to Ohtani. With the score tied 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth with one out and no runners, Toronto intentionally walked Ohtani and chose to face Mookie Betts. In the 11th inning, with two outs and no runners, they again intentionally walked Ohtani. Though Betts later singled to left and put them in danger of giving up a run, they got out of it by getting Freeman to pop out to left field.
In the 13th inning with two outs and a runner on third, Toronto intentionally walked both Ohtani and Betts and opted to face Freeman. The Toronto bench's decision worked. They got Freeman to fly out to center and escaped the inning without giving up a run. In the 15th inning, with one out and no runners, Toronto intentionally walked Ohtani again. They then had Betts fly out to right and Freeman fly out to center. In the 17th inning with two outs and a runner on first they did not intentionally avoid him but walked him with a straight ball. They could not easily challenge him.
MLB.com said, "Ohtani's performance against Toronto will live on in postseason history."
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