WATCH: Shohei Ohtani seals his place in baseball history as Dodger Stadium erupts in celebration of his first World Series ring
Shohei Ohtani finally reached the pinnacle of MLB team accolades. Baseball's modern-day icon claimed his first World Series ring as a part of the all-conquering Dodgers squad ahead of their game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday night.
Ohtani was called last amongst the awardees as the crowd at Dodger Stadium erupted when he made his way to claim his ring. After a decorated career in Japan and the United States, Shotime, at long last, is a World Series champion.
"The moment he's been waiting for. Shohei Ohtani receives his first World Series ring" - @ MLB
The ring was made by Jostens and includes 14-karat yellow gold, sapphires, and diamonds. It's Ohtani's first league title since he won the Japan Series championship in 2016 with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters back in NPB.
Ohtani had a historic 2024 campaign wherein he opened the 50/50 club when he tallied a National League-leading 54 home runs along with 59 stolen bases. He also led the NL in RBIs with 130 while topping the MLB run charts with 134.
His brilliant season was capped off by being awarded as the NL MVP and in turn, made history as the only player to win three MVP awards unanimously and the first to win unanimous MVP's in both leagues. His record-breaking achievement was then topped by the ultimate prize in the league when he helped the Dodgers win the World Series in his first season with the team.
Shohei Ohtani smashes home run in home opener
Shohei Ohtani did some Ohtani things in the Los Angeles Dodgers home opener against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the reigning NL MVP smashed an opposite-field home run off Tigers reliever Brenan Hanifee.
The solo homer was Shotime's second of the year after tallying one against the Cubs in the Japan Series.
Upon hitting the home run, celebrities such as part-time owner Magic Johnson and actor Tom Hanks were seen celebrating in the stands.
The reigning champions would ultimately outlast the Tigers in their home opener with a score of 5-4. Ohtani, Tommy Edman, and Teoscar Hernandez did the heavy lifting for the Dodgers with the latter hitting a three-run bomb.
On the other hand, the Tigers kept the game competitive through Spencer Torkelson's home run, two runs scored and four walks earned. Manuel Margot and Kerry Carpenter each drove in runs for Detroit to keep the game within arm's reach. However, the Dodgers would ultimately prevail in a close home opener.