Shohei Ohtani is showing a different side of himself in his first year in Dodger blue

LOS ANGELES – One of the best parts of sports is that it combines excitement with the rigors of competition. The MLB postseason has a way of concentrating the entire emotional experience in its most intense form.

For the first time in his career, Shohei Ohtani is feeling the playoff atmosphere and the big moments that come with it. And after his undoubted home run in Game 1 of the NLDS against the San Diego Padres, Ohtani put those emotions on display. Throwing his bat in excitement and looking on in awe before letting out a whoop as he began his jog, the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar let the world know he had made the playoffs.

Ohtani’s emotional involvement was also evident in Wednesday’s series-tying 8-0 win, when the Japanese superstar, in a moment widely circulated on social media, appeared to take offense to a referee’s interference with a ball. clean.

“I totally forgot,” Ohtani told reporters through an interpreter when asked about the moment Thursday. The response provoked laughter.

The postseason, which for the Dodgers has extended to Game 5 on Friday at Dodger Stadium, is not the first time this year that Ohtani has let his emotions show in the big moments. In fact, throughout this season he has been increasingly demonstrative. That perhaps shouldn’t be surprising, given that his first year with the Dodgers has given him more big moments than previous years and in front of a much larger audience.

“Playing a regular-season game and playing a playoff game is different,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “And I think a lot of players end up playing (and) showing their emotions. So I feel part of that.”

Ohtani hasn’t always been one to get excited about the diamond or its surroundings. During his six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, even as he was becoming the best player in the world, he remained reserved in his reactions and kept his emotions close to the vest.

The beginning of this change for Ohtani occurred during last year’s World Baseball Classic. In what seemed like a postseason atmosphere, Ohtani, pitching as Team Japan’s closer against Team USA, showed a side of himself that few baseball fans had seen before. When he struck out his then-teammate Mike Trout to seal his team’s victory, we saw the utmost joy and passion of a competitor as he threw down his glove before hugging his compatriots. In that moment, Ohtani proved he was no baseball cyborg.

This year, the two-time MVP put on a show during his first season with the Dodgers, hitting .310/.390/.646 with a league-leading 54 home runs and a career-high 197 hits in on your way to becoming the first Member of the 50-50 club. Throughout this historic season, there were bat flips, celebrations and even the occasional “Let’s go!” – yes, in English – while cheering on his teammates.

This is not the same Ohtani we saw for the last six years. It is a new version, more comfortable and safer.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Ohtani said of his most exuberant displays. “I think it’s also part of who I am. Obviously, being respectful and aware of the opponent. “I think it’s an important part of the game.”

It probably helps that, for the first time in his career, Ohtani is playing for a winning club. After six seasons with nothing at stake when it comes to the playoffs, his greatness is no longer just about individual accomplishments; it’s also about the team’s success as Los Angeles tries to win the World Series. One more victory will put the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, where the Mets await.

“I think he realizes he’s the best player on the planet,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think over the course of the season he has become who he intrinsically is. …I think winning helps.

“He is very isolated, very quiet and keeps to himself, private. But I do think he’s naturally a stupid person. He is fun loving. “He is an incredibly good competitor.”

Whether he went 6-for-6 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in the 50-50 game, hit a grand slam to join the 40-40 club or hit a home run in his postseason debut, Ohtani has demonstrated on numerous occasions, he lives for the big moment. And he is one of the few players who is seemingly able to rise to the occasion at all times.

“I’m really focused on winning the game and anything I can do to help the team win the game,” he said. “That’s something I really focus on, rather than overcomplicating things and thinking beyond that.”

Ohtani showing who he is and letting fans feed off his energy helps sports’ biggest superstar continue his rise as one of the most popular athletes in the world. And simply seeing the best player in the world be great in the biggest moments is fantastic for the sport itself.

“When he sees people having fun, having fun at times (I think we’ve seen more of that throughout the season), I think it’s a good thing for him because he’s honest,” Roberts said.

“This guy is not just a robot. He is a real person who has emotions. So I think this is good for everyone.”