“It’s Time”: Japan celebrates Ohtani’s World Series triumph

TOKYO — Japanese baseball fans joined their Los Angeles counterparts in celebration as local hero Shohei Ohtani added baseball’s biggest prize to his already vast trophy collection by winning the World Series with the Dodgers.

Ohtani, who played six years for the Los Angeles Angels without making the playoffs, won his first major league title in his first postseason appearance when the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees by a score of 7-6 on Wednesday to end the series 4-1. win.

Wednesday night in New York meant Thursday lunchtime in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, where fans flocked to bars to watch Game 5 of the fall classic.

“I would like to congratulate Otani,” said Shigeru Hirosaki, a 53-year-old independent business consultant.

“Thank you for showing Japan your dream. Japan as a country has been in decline and depression lately, but seeing young Japanese people (like Otani) succeed in the world is also a dream for older people like us.”

Although the slugger’s injury-ridden slugger’s contribution to the World Series was modest, he is expected to win his third career MVP award after a season for the ages.

Widely considered one of the greatest two-way players in baseball history, the 30-year-old joined the Dodgers on a record 10-year contract worth $700 million late last year, but elbow surgery prevented him from pitching this season.

He made up for it with his hitting, finishing the season with a career-high 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases and becoming the first member of Major League Baseball’s 50/50 club.

American expats and tourists joined locals to watch the series’ climax at a baseball-themed bar in Shibuya, many of them wearing Dodgers caps and shirts.

“Oh, it was amazing, the fans here are so passionate,” said Max Ginsberg, a software engineer from Los Angeles.

“This bar is a lot like Shohei’s specialty bar, it’s incredible. Ohtani is plastered everywhere, you can’t help but see him when you walk around, and it’s just amazing.”

Fans cheered as TV screens showed Ohtani running out of the dugout to celebrate Walker Buehler striking out the final Yankees batter to seal the series triumph.

Those teammates included Ohtani’s compatriot Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who joined the Dodgers last year on a 12-year, $325 million contract and was the winner in Game 2.

Ohtani, who led his country to the 2023 World Baseball Classic title with a victory over the United States in the final, is already a huge star at home and his World Series run has led to record television ratings in Japan.

“I’m just happy, that’s all I feel,” Ohtani told Japanese television at Yankee Stadium.

“I’ve joined a new team and now I’m going to finish as best as I can – it really has been my best year.”

He also had a few words to say to the Japanese fans who have flown to the United States to support him this season.

“The applause gave me a lot of energy, so I’m glad we managed to win in the end and finish great. It’s been an amazing season.” REUTERS