When Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, expectations surrounding him were enormous.

At the same time, there were also doubts.

Because he had moved to a new league, he would now face many unfamiliar pitchers.
He was also still rehabbing as a pitcher after elbow surgery.

And unlike the Angels — where Ohtani often carried the team almost single-handedly — the Dodgers already had multiple superstar hitters and the pressure that comes with being one of baseball’s most historic franchises.

Some wondered whether he would truly be able to perform at his highest level under those conditions.

In response to those concerns, Ohtani made his mindset clear:

“What I need is to prove myself through this year’s results first.”

Everyone already knew his past accomplishments.

Naturally, people expected him to perform at a certain level.

But Ohtani understood that reputation alone means nothing if it is not backed up by results.

If he failed to produce, he would disappoint the team and its fans — and he would not earn their trust.

That idea extends far beyond baseball.

In any profession, being known as “talented” is not enough.

Only when performance is proven through tangible results does expectation turn into trust.

And in 2024, Ohtani answered every expectation imaginable.

He became the first player in Major League history to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season, ultimately finishing with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases.

He also led the league with 130 RBIs.

More importantly, when stars like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman missed significant time with injuries, Ohtani carried the team through those absences and helped lead the Dodgers to a World Series championship.

The pressure was immense.

But by producing results exactly when they were needed most, Ohtani earned something even more valuable than expectations:

complete trust.

Source

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

Number 1094–1095, p.16