Shohei Ohtani’s determination to win became especially clear during his years with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Before turning professional, Ohtani had already competed at high levels. He played in national tournaments during his Little League days and later reached the prestigious Koshien tournament while attending Hanamaki Higashi High School.

Yet despite those opportunities, he had never experienced the ultimate victory.

He had never stood at the very top.

In 2015, Ohtani delivered an outstanding season as a pitcher, winning 15 games. However, the Nippon-Ham Fighters repeatedly struggled against the powerhouse Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, the dominant team in Japanese baseball at the time.

As the Climax Series approached, Ohtani spoke about what he wanted most.

“I want to become the best in Japan,” he said.

What does that view look like from the top?

“I don’t know,” he admitted.

“I’ve never seen it. But that’s why we do this—to go and see that view.”

That season, however, the Fighters fell short of the championship.

Their manager, Hideki Kuriyama, later reflected on Ohtani’s mindset, suggesting that the young star carried a lingering frustration from past moments when victory slipped away at crucial times.

Despite possessing extraordinary talent, Ohtani had experienced the pain of falling short when it mattered most.

Perhaps that frustration fueled him.

The following year, in 2016, Ohtani delivered one of the most remarkable seasons in Japanese baseball history. As both a pitcher and a hitter, he played a central role in leading the Fighters to the Japan Series championship.

Eight years later, he would finally witness an even greater view—standing at the top of Major League Baseball as a World Series champion.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Shohei Ohtani: Baseball Youth I — Japan Edition 2013–2018, p.186