Even after moving to Major League Baseball, Shohei Ohtani used to spend the day before his starts resting rather than playing in games.

Part of that was physical preparation, but it was also about mentally preparing himself.

That alone shows how demanding and special pitching was for him.

The 2024 postseason was especially exciting for Ohtani.

When he pitches, he experiences a very particular kind of tension.

But as a hitter, he says he does not really get nervous, which allowed him to simply enjoy the games.

Ohtani explained:

“Hitting and pitching are completely different professions. I’m not the type who gets nervous as a hitter, but the tension that comes with pitching is a completely different kind of stress.”

For example, if he compares a game where he hit two home runs to a game where he pitched seven strong innings for the win, the feeling afterward is completely different.

Pitching gives him a much stronger sense of fulfillment.

That is why, in Ohtani’s own words, “the joy of pitching is on an entirely different level.”

Today, Ohtani is considered one of the greatest hitters in the world.

And yet he still insists on returning to the mound.

Perhaps that is because pitching gives him something irreplaceable:

a unique tension, pressure, and sense of accomplishment that cannot be experienced any other way.

Source

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

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