Marriage, Insider Corruption, 50-50, Injury, WS Victory... The Tumultuous Year of Ohtani

Winning the Championship Trophy in Dodgers' First Year
Local Japanese Media Also Reacted with "Moved"

Global baseball star Shohei Ohtani (30, LA Dodgers) has clinched the Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series championship. This achievement came in his first year with the Dodgers.

On the 31st of last month (Korean time), in Game 5 of the World Series (best-of-seven) between the New York Yankees and the Dodgers held at Yankee Stadium in New York, the Dodgers secured a dramatic 7-6 comeback victory, sealing the series with a 4-1 record. With this, Ohtani achieved the remarkable feat of lifting the championship trophy in his first year with the Dodgers.

In fact, the Dodgers were trailing 0-5 early in the game, and the outlook was bleak. However, thanks to consecutive errors by the Yankees, they created a big inning and staged a major comeback.

Shohei Ohtani (right) making a playful expression while holding the championship trophy.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Ohtani batted leadoff in this World Series, but his performance was somewhat lackluster compared to the regular season. He did not hit any home runs and had a batting average of 0.105 (2 hits in 19 at-bats). Nevertheless, he steadfastly held his position and ultimately shared the joy of victory with his team.

Additionally, Ohtani made 'new history' for Asian players in MLB during the regular season. He set records for the most RBIs in a single season (130) as well as the most career home runs (225). He also became the first MLB player to join the 50-home run and 50-stolen base club.

However, he also faced adversity. This year, he married Mamiko Tanaka, a former professional basketball player from Japan, but was embroiled in a scandal involving illegal gambling by his exclusive interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. Local authorities' investigation confirmed that Ohtani was a victim and unrelated to the scandal, but he had to endure the emotional burden of betrayal by someone he was closest to during his time abroad.

Tanaka Mamiko, who married Ohtani (above), and Mizuhara Ippei (below), who was a dedicated interpreter but was arrested on charges of illegal gambling [Image source=LA Dodgers Instagram, AP Yonhap News]

Moreover, in a game held on the 27th of last month, he shocked the team and fans by sustaining a shoulder injury while sliding. Nevertheless, he continued to stay on the field and ultimately secured the championship.

Ohtani earned his first championship ring seven years after entering MLB. Starting with the LA Angels in 2018, he played in the American professional baseball scene but had never appeared in the postseason during the past six seasons. However, this year, wearing the Dodgers uniform, he left a meaningful mark.

In his hometown of Japan, congratulations poured in for Ohtani after the game. Japanese sports media 'Full Count' praised him, saying, "Ohtani led his team to the World Series championship for the first time in his seventh year in the majors and first year after transferring. Despite a left shoulder dislocation injury, he worked hard toward this moment of joy."

Japanese netizens also expressed elevated reactions such as "I can't stop crying," "Ohtani is now number one in the world," "Thank you for giving us this joy," and "I was moved. He is my role model."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.