WATCH: Shohei Ohtani adorably requests Dodgers teammate to slap his backside in celebration after beating Padres in NLDS Game 4
Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers are one victory away from clinching a spot in the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets. After being against the ropes and on the verge of elimination, the Dodgers were able to even out their series against the San Diego Padres with an impressive 8-0 victory on Wednesday night.
Despite the immense pressure of the postseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers were all smiles on Wednesday night, particularly their superstar Shohei Ohtani. During the team's season-saving victory, Ohtani was caught on camera celebrating the team's success by slapping his teammates on the butt. However, he made sure to receive one of his own before returning to the dugout.
Although Ohtani's playfulness may have been because of the fact that the Dodgers were in complete control of Game 4. However, in such an important game, the two-time MVP seemed completely calm. If the Dodgers are going to clinch the series in Game 5 on Friday night, they will need to approach the matchup with a similar mindset instead of succumbing to the stress of the situation.
Game 5 will see both teams return to Dodger Stadium at 8:08 pm ET for the winner-take-all showdown. After an action-packed Game 2 which saw several fans throw objects at some of the San Diego Padres players. Regardless of which team wins, it should be must-watch television.
Shohei Ohtani has been enjoying a productive playoff debut for the Dodgers
After his high-profile move from the Los Angeles Angels to the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency, the potential NL MVP has now played in more postseason games than his former teammate Mike Trout. One of the reasons why Ohtani wanted to move to a new club was to have an opportunity to win, something that the Dodgers have provided him.
Although he has not been tearing the cover off the ball like he had all season long, he has already put together a better postseason resume than Trout. Through four career playoff games, Shohei Ohtani has posted a solid .250 batting average with a home run and four RBIs.
If the Dodgers can pick up the victory on Friday night, he will have the opportunity to improve upon those numbers. He is expected to continue batting lead-off for the Dodgers on Friday with an NLCS berth on the line.