In the past, Japanese baseball placed enormous value on complete games.
There was even a common phrase: “starting and finishing the game yourself.”
The ideal ace pitcher was someone who stayed on the mound until the final out and personally delivered victory to the team.
Legendary pitcher Masaichi Kaneda perfectly represented that era, recording an astonishing 365 complete games — still the all-time record.
Today, however, baseball has changed dramatically.
Modern pitchers are evaluated less by complete games and more by metrics such as:
- Quality Starts (QS), meaning six or more innings pitched while allowing three earned runs or fewer
- WHIP, which measures how many baserunners a pitcher allows per inning
As baseball evolved into a game built around specialized bullpens and relievers, expectations for starting pitchers also changed.
So how does Shohei Ohtani define an “ace”?
By the end of 2024, Ohtani had recorded 80 combined wins between Japan and MLB, including two seasons with 15 or more victories.
Those are excellent numbers, yet Ohtani has never been obsessed with pitcher wins themselves.
He absolutely wants to win games.
But his focus is slightly different.
“When I’m entrusted with a game, what matters most isn’t necessarily whether I personally get the win or not. What matters is whether I can leave the mound while still giving my team a chance to win.”
That mindset reflects one of Ohtani’s core philosophies:
Focus on what you can control, and do not become overly emotional about what you cannot.
He cannot control run support, bullpen performance, or every bounce of the ball.
What he can control is preparing properly, competing fully, and leaving his team in the best possible position to succeed.
To Ohtani, that is what it truly means to be an ace.
Source
This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.
Reportage: Shohei Ohtani, p.179