Because Shohei Ohtani experienced games without spectators during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he deeply appreciated the return of cheering crowds afterward.

In fact, he once described fan support as “the best kind of doping.”

Having spent many years with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani also knew the emptiness that can surround a team late in the season once postseason hopes disappear.

His first year with the Dodgers in 2024 brought something entirely new to him: postseason baseball.

From Ohtani’s perspective, the atmosphere of the postseason was completely different from that of the regular season.

In playoff games, even a first-pitch strike could send the crowd into a roar.

Fans watched every single pitch with intense concentration.

During the regular season, supporters naturally relax more.

Teams win some and lose some over a long season, so many fans casually enjoy the game while eating and drinking.

But the postseason is different.

Every game can end a season.

Because the stakes are so high, the fans become emotionally invested in every moment, reacting passionately to each pitch, swing, and defensive play.

The volume and intensity of the crowd are on another level.

Ohtani explained it this way:

“It’s more exciting when fans are in the stands than when the stadium is empty, and the louder the cheers are, the more rewarding it feels to play.”

Large crowds and deafening cheers can create pressure for athletes.

But for Ohtani, experiencing postseason baseball for the first time, that energy became motivation rather than fear.

The crowd’s passion fueled him and made the games even more meaningful.

Source

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

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