One of Shohei Ohtani’s defining traits is that he does not look for external excuses when things don’t go his way.

When he struggles as a pitcher, he doesn’t blame poor condition, miscommunication with the catcher, weak defense, or a lack of run support.
If he did, it would mean there was nothing wrong with his own performance—and that there was nothing for him to reflect on.

The same applies to his hitting.

This mindset remained unchanged even during the sign-stealing controversy that shook Major League Baseball in 2018.

Ohtani has never condoned sign stealing.

He clearly distinguishes between legitimate efforts—such as reading tendencies or pitch sequences under the same conditions—and the use of unauthorized external information or cameras, which he considers unfair.

Even so, he refuses to let that become an excuse.

“Even when I get hit in a game, I don’t really suspect something like that. If I start thinking that way, I won’t grow.”

At the time, Ohtani had been hit hard by the Astros, a team later found to have engaged in sign stealing.

But he chose not to attribute his struggles to that.

Because doing so would end the process of reflection—and ultimately, his own development.

Even if external factors exist, Ohtani believes the priority is to identify what he can improve within himself.

Growth does not come from blaming the outside world.

It comes from continuously confronting and refining one’s own weaknesses.

Source

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

Following Shohei Ohtani: A Reporter’s 10-Year Chronicle, p.247