Clad in championship gear, the Dodgers celebrate on the field after clinching the National League West title on Thursday night.
A once-in-a-generation season gets even more memorable as the Dodgers wrap up the NL West title.
By MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS
RAFU SPORTS EDITOR
What a wonderful time to be a baseball fan.
And yes, I’m including the faithful in Anaheim, Oakland and South Chicago, who have suffered through their teams’ worst seasons … well, ever.
For sure, baseball isn’t perfect, and some of the recent changes have been jarring for some. Both leagues adopted the full-time designated hitter, the long-term effects of the pitch clock have yet to be determined, and they’re experimenting an automated strikezone.
Perhaps the game’s most glaring flaw is how prohibitively expensive it has become for large swaths of the fanbase. For a recent bobblehead doll giveaway at Dodger Stadium, the lease expensive ticket approached two hundred bucks. Add parking rates that fluctuate between 30 to 50 dollars, and many folks simply can’t afford to attend more than a couple of games per season.
However, once you’re in (or watching on TV), the Great American Pastime has been more magnificent … that’s especially the case right here in Los Angeles.
During the past offseason, the Dodgers committed the GDP of a small nation to this fellow named Shohei Ohtani … perhaps you’ve heard of him. The home-run-hitting pitcher from Japan was signed by L.A. not simply to compete, but to win it all. Anything less would inevitably be viewed as failure.
Beginning Oct. 5, Ohtani, who has achieved so many incredible feats thus far, will be seen doing something entirely new to him: playing in a postseason game in the U.S. major leagues.
“This is the reason I’m here,” said a champagne-soaked Ohtani on Thursday night, after his go-head RBI helped the Dodgers to a 7-2 win over the San Diego Padres, thereby clinching the National League West title.
It is the 12th straight playoff berth for the Dodgers, all but one of those coming with an NL West crown.
“I’ve always wanted to do this, the champagne celebration, so I feel happy,” Ohtani said, adding later, “It’s an awesome feeling and I’m looking forward to popping more.”
Will Smith’s two-run homer in the seventh inning tied the game at 2, before Ohtani’s RBI single to right gave the Dodgers the lead for good. Mookie Betts followed with a two-run single to cap the rally. Andy Pages’ two-run homer in the eighth was the icing on the cake for L.A. and their frenzied fans.
The Dodgers’ other huge acquisition from Japan said he feels blessed to make it to the postseason in his first MLB season.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has spent considerable time this season sidelined with a shoulder injury, said he simply hopes to contribute as much as he possibly can.
“I spent half of the season in rehabilitation, so I just want to thank all these teammates,” the right-hander said.
On the flip side, Ohtani’s contributions to the team – and to the game – have been almost indescribable. Just a week ago, he eclipsed a mark everyone in baseball thought beyond the reach of any mere mortal: hitting 50 home runs and stealing 50 bases in a single season.
Unable to pitch this season, he’s focused on batting … and how. Ohtani is leading the majors in a slew of offensive categories. The latest eye-popping figure from Thursday’s game was how he passed 400 total bases this year.
Many are already saying he’s the greatest player ever, surpassing even Ruth, Aaron and Mays.
“He’s put on a show the last couple weeks and obviously, what a year he’s having,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Ohtani. “We’re going to ride that horse, that thoroughbred, to a championship.”
The Dodgers wrap up the regular season this weekend in Colorado and by virtue of their season record, will have time off before hosting the first game of the NL Division Series. Who their opponent will be is as of yet, very much undetermined.
Heading into the final three games, Ohtani will likely see only limited playing time in Colorado. He begins the series at 53 homers and 56 stolen bases.
“It’s unprecedented,” Roberts said. “It’s something that I know Shohei’s dreamed about ever since he was a young kid, and he’s living it right now in real time.”
— Additional information from Kyodo News