Japanese baseball player Ohtani Shohei looks back on his rookie year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, including triumphing over the New York Yankees and winning the World Series in his first postseason.

“I was honored to have such a long season.”

　
Japanese baseball star Ohtani Shohei’s first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers wasn’t easy.

　
Signed with the largest contract in the history of the sport, he played under the weight of high expectations throughout the year, amidst ups and downs in both his personal and professional life.

　
However, the season ended well as the team won the World Series, realizing a dream that Ohtani had been chasing since he was a high school student.

　
Below is Ohtani’s own view of the season, as presented in his postgame press conference.

Q: I know your goal has always been to win a World Series in the major leagues. Can you tell us what’s going on in your heart and mind right now and if you feel like talking a little English that would be great.

AND: I will answer your question in Japanese. I’m honored to be a part of our longest season. It’s also a huge honor to win the World Series in my first year with this team.

Q: This season started off rocky for you after the scandal with your former translator and your first year with the Dodgers. Moving from then to now, mentally, what has this year been like for you and how did you get to this point?

AND: I think we made it through the regular season thanks to the strength of this team. I’m also proud that we got to play our own baseball in the postseason against great teams. Once again, I am extremely honored to be part of this winning team.

Q: You took over with someone like Mookie Betts on your team, and you also got Freddie Freeman. What’s it like now that you’ve won, playing against guys of that caliber? What have you learned from them?

AND: Being able to play with all these great players really allowed me to improve my game, not only technically, but also professionally. Of course, it wasn’t just Freddie and Mookie – our entire lineup, from first to ninth, was very professional.

Q: I know that in Japan, bands celebrate beer a little differently. Do you prefer the way they do it in Japan or the way they do it here?

AND: I feel like the celebrations I’ve had in the past in Japan, at the WBC, have been a bit subdued. Here the celebration was more dynamic. People celebrate in different ways. But I was really happy to end the season this way.

Q: Can you describe the emotion today, when your team was five points down to zero and then you were gradually able to make up for it?

AND: The inning in which we scored five runs was very important. I think our opponent made a few mistakes, but because everyone tried so hard, we managed to take advantage of those chances.

Q: Last year you made the cautious decision to move to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Do you think you made a good choice?

AND: I was honored to have such a long season with the Dodgers. More than my personal decision, I’m grateful to be able to play on the team this year. I am very proud of my teammates and staff.

Q: When I look back on this season, what was the hardest moment? How did the team deal with it?

AND: I don’t have any specific thing in mind. However, overall, many players were injured this season, so other members took care of them. We have a winning style where we come from behind… We never give up and keep playing. I believe this attitude was decisive for the victory.

Ohtani’s wife, Mamiko, and their dog Dekopin

Q: This season was your first in the family. What are your feelings towards your wife Mamiko and your dog Dekopin?

AND: I can’t thank them enough. The season was very long and although I am used to it, she is not. I am grateful to her for her support throughout this long period and I want to give my all from next season.

Q: There must have been times when it was difficult to focus 100%, due to the shoulder injury and so on. Despite this, what were your feelings on the pitch?

AND: Even after I got injured in the postseason, I wanted to be ready to play. But most importantly, it was a great honor for me that people said they needed me and wanted me to play. I think that’s why I was able to compete so hard this year.