Campaign began with Ohtani being named in a betting scandal and ended with him winning the World Series. Shohei Ohtani’s 2024 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers is one for the history books.

In a season filled with unprecedented individual accomplishments, Ohtani not only set multiple records but also helped lead the Dodgers to the postseason for the first time in his career.

In a recent interview with USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Ohtani reflected on his experience, revealing the challenges and emotional moments that came with playing for a team with genuine championship aspirations.

For Ohtani, the 2024 season was his first experience with the pressure of a playoff race, and it proved to be a grinding and emotional journey. Despite the Dodgers’ reputation for consistent postseason success, Ohtani admitted that making the playoffs was far from easy.

“The Dodgers had a lot of success and were making the playoffs almost every year,” Ohtani explained to USA Today.

“But when you’re part of the team, it was actually really grinding and a big struggle just to make the playoffs.”

The season’s final stretch saw the San Diego Padres making a strong push for the NL West title, narrowing the gap to just two games behind the Dodgers with only five games remaining. Despite facing injuries and setbacks, the Dodgers fought off the challenge and ultimately made it to the playoffs, giving Ohtani his first taste of the pressure involved in such tight division races.

Ohtani broke offensive records in 2024

Ohtani’s 2024 offensive stats were nothing short of historic. He finished the season leading the National League with a .390 OBP, .646 SLG, 54 home runs, and 130 RBIs, while also setting the MLB record for most runs scored with 134.

On top of that, he became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season, a feat that cemented his place among the game’s all-time greats.

His offensive brilliance earned him the National League MVP award, making Ohtani the first full-time designated hitter to win the honor. He also became the first player to win three unanimous MVPs and joined Frank Robinson as the only player to win MVPs in both leagues.

His back-to-back MVP win-following Miguel Cabrera’s 2012-13 achievement-further solidified his status as one of the most dominant players in baseball.