Shohei Ohtani & Yoshinobu Yamamoto's World Series triumph with Dodgers brings Japan in celebration mood
Japanese fans rejoiced Wednesday night when Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Los Angeles Dodgers took home the World Series crown. They have faithfully watched all season since the Dodgers added both Japanese superstars, and their season concluded with a comeback victory in Game 5 over the New York Yankees to seal the championship.
Fans in Tokyo gathered in bars to watch the matchup, which saw LA rally to beat New York 7-6 and seal the series 4-1.
Japanese fans who got up early to watch the games erupted when the Dodgers did something good. Hideki Shinohara, who is a self-proclaimed hardcore fan of Ohtani and the Dodgers, said (via AP):
“He is the pride of Japan. You cannot describe him with just ‘amazing.’ You need to invent a new word. He went through many things this year, and I didn’t expect him to come all this way. I am very pleased with what he has achieved.”
After the game, Ohtani personally thanked the fans from his home country who cheered him on:
“I want to thank my Japanese fans for coming all the way to cheer me this season. That cheering gave me some energy so I’m glad I could return the gratitude my winning.”
Fans included Shinohara and Yasuko Shibata, an 80-year-old woman who faithfully watches all of Ohtani's games from Japan. Shibata said she feels "blue" when Ohtani doesn't play well. There were also watch parties in Japan during all games of the World Series, where fans could celebrate Ohtani and the team.
Shohei Ohtani reflects on first season with Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani's first year with the Los Angeles Dodgers resulted in a likely MVP award, his first trip to the postseason, and his first world title. He had a season for the ages from an individual and team perspective.
He said via MLB:
“I’m honored to be able to be part of a season where we played the longest, and to be able to get to know this team. My first year and experience winning a World Series has been a tremendous honor.”
The slugger continued:
“We were able to get through the regular season, I think, because of the strength of this team, this organization. And the success of the postseason is very similar to how we were able to pull it off during the regular season. Again, the strength of the organization. Extremely honored to be a part of this.”
Ohtani and the Dodgers will be contractually linked for the next nine seasons as well, perhaps leading to even more success in the future.