Not only in baseball, but across the entire world, the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020 reminded people that many things once taken for granted were not guaranteed at all.

Although restrictions varied by country, many nations severely limited large gatherings and cheering crowds, forcing sports and entertainment events to be canceled or held without spectators.

Major League Baseball also faced major disruption.
The 2020 season started four months later than scheduled and was shortened to just 60 games.

To avoid crowding in video rooms during games, players were no longer allowed to freely review footage during competition. Ohtani later admitted that he hated not being able to “watch myself objectively” while reviewing his pitching and hitting.

Fortunately, in 2021, fans gradually returned to stadiums, even with attendance limits in place. Their return energized Ohtani once again.

Speaking about the atmosphere created by spectators, he said:

“It finally felt like we were really playing baseball again. It’s just fun. I think having fans cheering is probably the greatest form of doping there is.”

What Ohtani meant was that playing in front of a crowd sharpened his focus both at the plate and on the mound. Even if it could never be measured in statistics, the energy of the stadium itself seemed to flow into the bat and the baseball, giving players an extra source of strength.

That same year, Ohtani went on to win his first American League MVP award.

Source

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

Shohei Ohtani Report, p.80