There are many different ways athletes think about the relationship between personal success and team success.

Some players believe that as long as the team wins, their own statistics do not matter.

Others are satisfied if their individual numbers are good, even when the team loses.

Of course, the ideal situation is for both the player and the team to succeed together.

During his years with the Angels, Shohei Ohtani produced extraordinary numbers — good enough to win two MVP awards.

And yet, the team consistently finished around fourth place in the American League West and never reached the postseason.

Because Ohtani cares deeply about winning, that frustration must have been enormous.

No matter how great his own performances were, the team could not compete for championships.

That is why joining the Dodgers — a team capable of winning consistently — created what felt like the ideal environment for him.

Not only could the team win, but his own performances could directly help push them toward even greater success.

Ohtani explained:

“What matters most to me is contributing to victories in every game. What’s certain is that the closer I get to 50–50, the more I’m contributing to the team’s victories.”

That statement perfectly captures how Ohtani views baseball.

For him, personal records are meaningful only when they help the team win.

His historic achievements were not empty statistics accumulated for individual glory.

They were the result of helping the Dodgers win games through hitting, running, and creating offense in every possible way.

Source

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

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