Shohei Ohtani is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, widely considered the most talented two-way player since Babe Ruth over a century ago. At 6 feet 4 inches and 210 pounds, Ohtani pitches at over 100 mph with a devastating sweeper and hits towering home runs from the left side of the plate. His two AL MVP awards (2021 and 2023) and the historic 50-50 season in 2024 have cemented him as one of the most unique athletes in sports history.
Born on July 5, 1994, in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, Ohtani grew up idolizing Ichiro Suzuki and Yu Darvish. At Hanamaki Higashi High School, he threw 160 km/h (99 mph) as a senior, setting a Japanese high school record. The Nippon-Ham Fighters drafted him first overall in 2012. Despite initial plans to go directly to MLB, he spent five seasons in Japan before signing with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2017 under the posting system.
Ohtani's 2021 season rewrote what was considered possible: he hit 46 home runs, stole 26 bases, and posted a 3.18 ERA with 156 strikeouts as a starting pitcher. He won the AL MVP unanimously. After winning a second MVP in 2023 and leading Japan to the 2023 World Baseball Classic title by striking out Mike Trout for the final out, he signed a record $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December 2023 — the largest in professional sports history.
In his first Dodgers season (2024), Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season, finishing with 54 homers and 59 steals. He could not pitch due to recovery from Tommy John surgery but still led the Dodgers to a World Series championship. His on-field dominance, combined with the off-field drama surrounding former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara's gambling scandal, made 2024 one of the most turbulent and triumphant years of his career.
Off the field, Ohtani is known for his reserved personality and focus on baseball. He donated 20,000 baseball gloves to every elementary school in Japan, generating widespread admiration. His dog Dekopin, a Dutch Kooikerhondje, became an internet sensation during his Dodgers introduction. Like Cristiano Ronaldo in soccer, Ohtani transcends his sport as a global cultural figure, drawing fans from both American and Japanese markets.
