The Big Lead

Shohei Ohtani's goal for World Series championships is astounding

By Joe Lago

Oct 31, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates in the locker room after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in game four to win the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Oct 31, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates in the locker room after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in game four to win the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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After becoming the first 50/50 player in MLB history to secure a third MVP award and winning the World Series in his first season as a Los Angeles Dodger, Shohei Ohtani is just like everyone else. He has to set goals for the future in order to strive for more success.

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The obvious encore next season for the 30-year-old Japanese star is the resumption of his two-way dominance as a hitter and a pitcher. He stayed off the mound this year to recover from elbow surgery, but you wouldn't tell he was in the middle of a prolonged rehab with his historic offensive production, namely the 54 home runs and the 59 stolen bases.

But now that Ohtani has gotten the taste of a World Series title — the Dodgers' eighth in franchise history and second in five seasons — he not surprisingly is not satisfied. His appetite for World Series trophies now appears to be insatiable.

According to Dodgers vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, Ohtani doesn't want to win just one World Series. He wants to win nine more, as in every year remaining on his unprecedented $700 million contract.

Ohtani reportedly told Friedman, "Let's do this nine more times."

"He gets one in his first year," Friedman told Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register after the Dodgers' title-clinching victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday night. "So he thinks this is easy."

Ohtani had the hardest time at the plate against the Yankees. He only hit .105 in the World Series, managing just two hits and striking out five times in 19 at-bats. However, he was obviously playing hurt over the last three games after partially dislocating his shoulder while sliding into second base in Game 2.

The need for World Series redemption will probably drive Ohtani next year. Or perhaps his first experience of winning in the major leagues was so much fun. After all, Ohtani spent his first six MLB seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.

Anaheim is not far from Dodger Stadium. But after what Ohtani experienced Wednesday night in the jubilant Dodgers clubhouse, his Angels tenure surely felt worlds away. And his thirst for championship success doesn't appear to be quenched one bit.

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