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PHOENIX –– Ever since Shohei Ohtani began pitching for the Dodgers for the first time last year,manager Dave Robertshas made a repeated observation.
“When he pitches,” Roberts said earlier this year, “there’s an alter-ego.”
Almost like, when he’s at the mound versus when he’s at the plate, thetwo-way startakes on two opposite personas.
To Dodgers fans, Ohtani the hitter is a well-known personality by now.
He’s typically stoic, never over-excited, reticent to show much joy or frustration. Only after history-making moments (like his 50/50 home run in 2024) or big postseason swings (like his momentum-shifting blast in that year’s National League Division Series) does he ever offer any type of animated response.
As a pitcher, on the other hand, Ohtani has displayed a wholly different demeanor.
There’s outward intensity. An ever-present edge. And, in the most pivotal moments of almost every outing, an outburst of emotion that is telling of his mindset.
“He’s definitely more fiery [as a pitcher],” pitching coach Mark Prior said. “‘Ornery’ is probably too strong of a word. But there’s definitely more of a burn there. He craves facing the best. He wants to show that he can get the best hitters out. So I definitely think that motivation is behind a lot of it. You see that competitive fire.”
Indeed, already two months into this season, you could put together a highlight reel of Ohtani’s most impassioned reactions to big outs on the bump.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
