An already established all-time great in the game of baseball, pitcher and designated hitter (DH) Shohei Ohtani has set many feats of greatness throughout his seven years in Major League Baseball (MLB). For these seven years Ohtani has called Los Angeles home, but for six of those years he has called Anaheim his home, being part of the Los Angeles Angels. His 2018 season was what shot him to fame in the US, as his shift from Japan’s Major League equivalent, the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), was in question. He proved all the haters wrong, winning Rookie of the Year, two MVPs, and setting many firsts for a Japanese-born player in the MLB. Such a weapon and icon saw no success with the Angels, prompting his notorious move to their crosstown rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Before the start of the 2024 season there was tons of commotion in the baseball world, all surrounding Ohtani and the dominant Dodgers roster assembled in the off season. With players like Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernandez, and Kike Hernandez on the return, with young talent and powerhouse pitching, the Dodgers were projected early to win it all. With the Dodger’s past struggles in losing either in the playoffs early or falling short in the World Series, the team needed Ohtani and Ohtani needed them.
Fast forwarding to the end of the season, the Dodgers somewhat met expectations, putting up a 98-64 record, barely missing 100 wins. Individually, Ohtani played the most phenomenal season of baseball he ever had, putting up a 9.2 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), 54 home runs, 130 Runs Batted In (RBI), and an On Base Percentage (OPS) of 1.036. This was Ohtani’s first season on the Dodgers. This amazing performance by Ohtani helped lead the way for the Dodgers to make the playoffs once again, but with a stronger hope of winning the big game.
In the World Series, Ohtani was rather quiet, overshadowed by Freddie Freeman’s dominant performance against the Yankees. Though the performance was lacking from what people wanted to see out of Ohtani, it was another characteristic of his that shined, his resilience. Going into game three with a left shoulder injury, Ohtani still played throughout the rest of the World Series, earning a walk and a hit for the rest of the series, ultimately leading to the Dodgers second World Series win in five years.
Though many wished for more out of Ohtani in his first World Series appearance, it does not mask the superior season he put up this year. Ohtani’s influence on baseball has been felt throughout the entirety of the Los Angeles area, California, and even the world. Dodger faithful has accepted Ohtani whole-heartedly, and even Angel fans still love him despite moving to their crosstown rival. The love for Shohei Ohtani has changed the game of baseball forever, and he is a trailblazer for many who want to follow in his footsteps.
