During his six seasons after arriving in Major League Baseball, Shohei Ohtani never experienced the World Series.

In fact, his teams never even reached the postseason.

That is why, after a certain point, Ohtani began talking about wanting to play in “pressure-packed games” — games with real stakes and intensity.

His former Angels teammate Mike Trout felt the same way.

Trout established himself as a superstar at a young age and is widely considered a future Hall of Famer.

Yet despite his greatness, he had appeared in the postseason only once, back in 2014, and had never played in a World Series.

On the other hand, Mookie Betts — who became Trout’s teammate on Team USA during the World Baseball Classic — had already won three World Series titles, including the Dodgers’ championship in 2024.

After the WBC, Trout reportedly told Betts:

“I want to play baseball on a stage like that.”

That alone shows how much difference there is between simply playing baseball and competing for a championship.

Ohtani himself produced incredible numbers during September pennant races with the Dodgers.

What made that possible was the motivation that came from meaningful games with a visible goal ahead.

During his years with the Angels, September often felt long and empty because the team no longer had anything to fight for.

But in his first season with the Dodgers, every game carried purpose because a championship was within reach.

Reflecting on that difference, Ohtani said:

“It really reminded me that fighting for something you can clearly see ahead of you is what creates motivation.”

Having a clear objective changes everything.

When players can see the possibility of victory ahead of them, their focus sharpens, their energy rises, and their performances often reach another level.

Source

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

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