Shohei Ohtani is maintaining elite firm.
The Japanese famous person caps 2024 by profitable The Related Press male athlete of the yr for the third time, tying him with basketball nice Michael Jordan. He trails solely four-time winners Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James.
“I am very honoured,” Ohtani mentioned by means of translator Matt Hidaka in an unique interview with the AP. “Clearly all of the onerous work has paid off. Perhaps subsequent yr, I will get the award once more.”
In balloting by 74 sports activities journalists from the AP and its members, Ohtani obtained 48 votes. He beforehand gained the award in 2021 and 2023, when he was with the Angels.
“Rising up in Japan, I did observe Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods,” he mentioned. “I’d see their accolades and the way they have been profitable in the USA.”
The AP honour has been given out since 1931. Golfer Babe Didrikson gained six instances, essentially the most by a person or lady.
Swimmer Leon Marchand of France, who gained 4 gold medals on the Paris Olympics, was second with 10 votes in balloting introduced Monday. Golfer Scottie Scheffler, whose victories this yr included the Masters and an Olympic gold medal, was third with 9.
WATCH | Ohtani 1st in MLB historical past to go 50-50:
CBC Information Community’s Heather Hiscox is joined by Los Angeles Dodgers staff historian Mark Langill to debate Shohei Ohtani’s outstanding achievement.
The AP feminine athlete of the yr can be introduced Tuesday.
Shifting from the beleaguered Los Angeles Angels to the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani gained his third most useful participant award and first within the Nationwide League, led his new staff to its eighth World Collection championship and created Main League Baseball’s 50/50 membership by hitting 54 house runs and stealing 59 bases.
Ohtani signed a then-record $700 million US, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December 2023. Already a two-way famous person, he embellished his repute even additional regardless of not pitching all season whereas he rehabilitated from a second main proper elbow surgical procedure he had in September 2023.
Profession highs in batting common, homers, SBs
Ohtani went wild on offence, making each at-bat a must-see second. The six-foot-four designated hitter batted a career-high .310 whereas simply surpassing his earlier profession highs in house runs and stolen bases.
In September, he reached the beforehand unheard of fifty/50 mark in a efficiency for the ages. Towards the Miami Marlins in Florida, Ohtani went 6-for-6 with three homers, 10 runs bated in, two stolen bases and 17 complete bases.
“It would not shock me if he went 60/60 and 20 wins a yr from now,” Brad Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 throughout Ohtani’s second season in Anaheim, mentioned lately. “This man is the best athlete to ever play the game of baseball and there is not an in depth second.”
Ohtani mentioned he knew the Dodgers’ franchise file for many homers in a season was 49. His earlier greatest was 46, set in 2021.
“I form of wished to recover from that bar,” he mentioned. “I used to be pleasantly stunned I used to be in a position to go that file.”
Ohtani carried the Dodgers offensively in the course of the common season, and he stayed wholesome till Recreation 2 of the World Collection. He injured his left shoulder attempting to steal second base in opposition to the New York Yankees and completed the Collection taking part in harm.
He underwent surgical procedure a couple of days after the Dodgers celebrated their championship in early November.
“I haven’t got full vary of movement but, however it feels lots higher,” he advised the AP. “There is not any ache. There’s clearly nonetheless a little bit little bit of tightness, however slowly however absolutely it is getting higher.”
Ohtani lately obtained an up to date rehab schedule, and he is targeted on the near-term.
“It is the small steps that I believe are crucial to get me to the last word purpose, which is to only get again wholesome,” he mentioned.
Dodgers’ rotation in flux
Ohtani can also be throwing within the 70 mile-per-hour vary, which is typical for pitchers early within the offseason.
“I’ll proceed to ramp up slowly,” he mentioned.
The Dodgers’ rotation for subsequent season is in flux, and Ohtani is ready to see the way it shakes out.
“We could go together with a five-man rotation with a bullpen [game], which is what we did lots throughout this season or we could have a six-man rotation,” he mentioned. “Nevertheless it’s all about balancing out after we can get relaxation and recuperate. We’ll see the place that takes us alongside the playoff chase. I’ve obtained to clearly tempo myself, however once more that state of affairs will information us to how we get there.”
The Dodgers open the 2025 season in Japan, the place Ohtani is much more intently watched.
“My private purpose is to be absolutely wholesome by the point the opening video games do begin,” he mentioned. “To have the ability to pitch and hit can be nice, however the state of affairs will form of information itself.”
Every time Ohtani involves the plate or steps on the mound, there’s nice strain and expectation for him to carry out spectacular feats.
“I simply go on the market and attempt to keep inside myself,” he mentioned. “I can solely management what I can management and that is the place you belief your teammates. The blokes behind me, you belief they will make the performs for you. I do not actually attempt to overthink it.”
Ohtani generated massive bucks for the Dodgers off the sector, too.
Followers traveled from Japan in droves to see him play across the U.S. At Dodger Stadium, they paid additional for excursions of baseball’s third-oldest venue narrated by Japanese-speaking guides and to be on the sector throughout pre-game batting observe. Many of the followers purchased Ohtani-branded merchandise, particularly his No. 17 jersey.
Ohtani’s presence additionally helped the Dodgers land a bevy of latest Japanese sponsors.
As a result of Ohtani prefers to talk Japanese and use an interpreter with the media, he’s shrouded in a little bit of mystique. Requested earlier than his first post-game collection if he was nervous, he dropped a one-word reply in English: “Nope,” which drew laughter.
‘A lot better particular person’ than participant
Japanese-born Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts noticed Ohtani’s behind-the-scenes interactions together with his teammates, coaches and workers, and got here away impressed.
“I actually do consider that nearly as good of a ball participant as he’s, he is a a lot better particular person. He is very type, thoughtful, he cares,” Roberts advised the AP. “I am simply happy with any fame or glory or award that he receives as a result of he simply does it in such a respectful and humble manner.”
Ohtani relishes his privateness and barely shares particulars about himself off the sector. That is why his February announcement by way of Instagram that he had wed Mamiko Tanaka, a former basketball participant, surprised his new teammates and the remainder of the world.
The next month, after the Dodgers arrived in South Korea to open the season, he was enveloped in scandal when his longtime interpreter and buddy, Ippei Mizuhara, was fired by the Dodgers after being accused of utilizing tens of millions of {dollars} of Ohtani’s cash to put bets with an unlawful bookmaker.
His new teammates rallied round Ohtani, who was discovered to haven’t any half within the wrongdoing, and publicly it did not appear to have an effect on him even when he was privately distressed by it.
By June, the uproar had subsided. Mizuhara pleaded responsible to federal financial institution and tax fraud expenses and admitted to stealing practically $17 million from Ohtani.
The general public obtained a glimpse of Ohtani’s softer facet in August, when his canine Decoy delivered a primary pitch to his proprietor on their shared bobblehead night time. The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje exchanged an endearing high-five with Ohtani on the plate.
Because of this, Decoy grew to become a star in his personal proper, together with his breed (pronounced COY-ker-HUND-che) making the listing of essentially the most mispronounced phrases of 2024. He and Ohtani have been talked about in the course of the telecast of final month’s Nationwide Canine Present, the place the small Spaniel-type breed was among the many opponents.
“The variety of the breed has form of dwindled, so by him gaining a little bit bit of recognition hopefully that brings up the variety of his breed,” Ohtani mentioned. “I do really feel like we have been in a position to, in a small manner, contribute to the recognition of the canine and I am positive Decoy himself can be comfortable about that.”
Ohtani can be seeking to high himself subsequent yr whereas eyeing a repeat World Collection title.
“It is virtually like proper now you may lock in essentially the most useful participant within the Nationwide League award as a result of nobody has that capability or expertise,” Roberts mentioned.
“I am simply excited to see what ’25 has for Shohei Ohtani.”
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