The last time Shohei Ohtani made his home debut for Japan, his trophy cabinet was almost empty.
It’s hard to believe considering everything the Dodger superstar has accomplished since then. But entering the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Ohtani only had a meager MVP award. While Aaron Judge has established himself as a generational superstar and two-way force, his 62 homers in 2022 left Ohtani in second place for MVP.
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He experienced some team success in Japan, winning an NPB title in 2016 at age 21, but his postseason resume in the United States has been completely anemic. Ohtani did not appear in a playoff game in five seasons with the chaotic Angels. October, for him, is a month of rest.
His record with the Samurai, Japan’s national baseball team, wasn’t much better. An ankle injury forced him to withdraw late in the 2017 WBC contest. That’s a huge disappointment, because Ohtani, who was just a few months removed from his first and only NPB MVP, was already the biggest star in the country. The Japanese team, which had lost its talent, was eliminated in the semifinals.
So there is a lot of pressure ahead of the 2023 competition. Ohtani, as we all know, exceeded all expectations, leading Japan to a victory over the United States, striking out Angels teammate Mike Trout at the end of the game to capture the WBC title. The performance also served as the opening ceremony for the greatest three-year run in sports history. At least it’s there.
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Three seasons, three MVP awards, two World Series titles, the WBC Trophy, a $700 million contract with the Dodgers, a transcendent superstar and everything that comes with it. He transformed the game, globalizing it in a way that had never been done before.
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The fight for Ohtani’s dominance hasn’t been smooth sailing. Tommy John surgery in late 2023 kept Ohtani out for all of 2024 and most of 2025. He also sidestepped a gambling scandal that sent his former translator, Ippei Mizuhara, to federal prison. Neither issue plunged Ohtani into chaos, threatened his popularity, or derailed his march. He is greater, more important, and more prominent now than ever before.
It is a shame that Shohei Ohtani will not participate in this WBC competition. Fortunately he can fight. (Photo by Toru Hanuchi/Getty Images)
(Toru Hanai via Getty Images)
That brings us to the present, where Ohtani is gearing up for another World Baseball Classic, although he won’t be playing in it. Japan begins pool play against Chinese Taipei at 5 a.m. ET on Friday.
Concerns about Ohtani’s workload starting in 2025 and doubts about his ability to get insurance as a pitcher will limit Ohtani to DHing this time around. This was unfortunate for Japan’s chances, but it didn’t ruin the fun. He and the Japanese team are now back home, scrimmaging the NPB team in front of a sold-out crowd. As expected, Ohtani received an epic hero’s welcome.
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Whenever he appears in public – boarding a bus, walking through a train station or entering a restaurant – he is bombarded by throngs of onlookers who line up to record his every move. He was always flanked by a team of security guards. Taylor Swift has better hitting skills.
Ohtani took batting practice at Nagoya’s Valentine Dome last Friday before Japan’s scrimmage against the NPB Chunichi Dragons. It’s a rare occurrence for the reclusive hitter, who usually swings out of sight in an underground batting cage somewhere. Whatever the reason, he chose to buck the trend and put on a stunning exhibition in front of a packed, stunned audience.
Each blow of wood and rawhide elicited an involuntary guttural “ooh” from the stands. His opening song – Michael Bublé’s “Feelin’ Good” – rumbled in the background. Players from both teams dropped what they were doing to watch the game. Many logistics personnel from China and Japan took out their mobile phones to record the process. Everyone was stunned. Dragons players sat cross-legged outside the dugout like eager schoolchildren, grabbing what they believed was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
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This scene shows what Ohtani is like. He wasn’t just a baseball player, but he was a baseball player. Above all, this man was a source of raw wonder for millions of his fellow men. That drive gave Japan a winning energy in this special comeback.
Ohtani, his teammates and Japanese fans would love to win another WBC title, yes. But nothing that happens between now and Opening Day will change Ohtani’s legacy, which has already cemented him in multiple categories. Ohtani’s dominance hasn’t diminished yet, far from it, but he has checked just about every box a player can check, both individually and as a team.
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Then all that’s left is to celebrate. Acknowledgments. appreciate. If the last WBC was Ohtani’s proving ground, then this time it is his showcase. How lucky are we to witness this?
