Today, I threw 100 pitches yesterday and felt the frustration of losing. As if to relieve his frustration, Shohei Otani hit his 13th home run. The day after he threw 100 pitches as a starting pitcher, he homered for the second consecutive game as a batter. Clayton Kershaw, who once played alongside the Dodgers, and past legends will talk about this extraordinary performance. In yesterday’s game, Otani gave up three runs in the middle of the seventh inning, pitching worthy of a winning pitcher. However, after the 8th inning, the relievers were caught and the team suffered a come-from-behind loss. At that moment when a pitcher feels the most helpless, all Otani could do was stare at the scoreboard. However, what surprised Kershaw most was what Otani looked like afterwards. He hit a home run in the 9th inning, and even after the game, he showed no sign of letting down his defeat and was completely focused on the next day’s game. This “speed of transition” and “mental toughness” are Otani’s true strengths. Mr. Kershaw was generous in his praise, saying, “If it were me, I would turn the frustration of being dragged out for three days into a result with the bat the next day.Everything about him, from the power he had to carry the ball to the stands with that way of hitting that didn’t involve a full swing, to the humanity that allowed him to pull it off, was beyond standard.” The day after yesterday’s burden of 102 pitches, he once again fired a shot that led the team to victory. This recovery technique and physical ability are truly top-notch proof. Currently, Ohtani’s OPS this season is at the top of the league, and he is stepping into territory that only a few superstars in major league history can reach. Among the names of famous legends such as Barry Bonds and Babe Ruth, he also achieved the “No. 1 earned run average” as a pitcher. If he throws, he’s an ace, and if he hits, he’s a Triple Crown winner. This dual-wielding sight is a sight unlike any other in the history of the majors, which spans more than 100 years. Looking back on the two years they spent together with the Dodgers, Kershaw says the following: “For him, records like 50-50 and 55 home runs are just a stepping stone. The only reason he plays baseball is for his team to win.” Immediately after achieving 50-50 in 2024, Otani continued his usual routine the next day. The spirit he showed on the mound in his first year back in 2025 raised the concentration of all fielders. The way he played despite being dislocated in the World Series and his attitude of believing in the team’s victory even under extreme conditions are the very essence of the “winning culture” that is rooted in the current Dodgers. With Otani in the center of the batting lineup, the opposing team’s strategy is completely overturned. If you avoid competing with Otani, you’ll get on base, but if you do, you’ll get hit for an extra base. This pressure also affects the distribution of pitches to Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, which boosts the team’s overall scoring ability. On days when Otani takes the mound, the team’s morale is at its peak, and the fielders play with a sense of mission, saying, “If he can do that, so can we.” The Dodgers are currently in the lead, aiming for their third consecutive World Series victory. Kershaw expressed his confidence, “The depth of this batting lineup is a nightmare for opponents.Even if we keep Shohei out, we still have Betts and Freeman.This team has the power to win three consecutive championships.” Shohei Otani leads the team in both pitching and hitting, and stands in the lead in any adversity. It’s because of him that the entire team believes that we can win again today. The overwhelming record shown by the numbers and the human figure that Mr. Kershaw has seen in Shohei Otani. When these two things come together, we are once again reminded that we are witnessing a “one-in-a-century athlete.” Otani took advantage of yesterday’s disappointment and renewed his legend once again. The Dodgers will continue to accelerate their efforts to achieve the unprecedented feat of winning three consecutive championships. As a witness to history, we must keep an eye on his every move. ■About the production policy for this video (Important) The videos on this channel are original content that focuses on audio commentary, structure, and discussion. The videos, images, and audio materials used are structured with consideration to YouTube’s guidelines and the scope of quotation, and are designed to be used for short periods of time, processed, edited, and contextually necessary. In addition, the narration uses a machine voice generated based on your own voice, and there is no intention to imitate or impersonate any specific real person. 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