One of the defining moments of the 2023 World Baseball Classic came in the bottom of the ninth inning against Mexico.

Japan trailed by one run.

In a round-robin tournament, a single loss can often be recovered from by winning the next game.

But from the quarterfinals onward, the WBC becomes single elimination.

Lose once, and everything ends.

For Japan, a team determined to win the championship, this was a game they absolutely could not afford to lose.

At the same time, Mexico stood only three outs away from defeating Japan.

Mexico’s pitching staff had been outstanding throughout the game.

In particular, Ohtani’s former Los Angeles Angels teammate Patrick Sandoval delivered an impressive start, holding Japan scoreless for more than four innings.

Then came the dramatic ninth inning.

Leading off the inning, Shohei Ohtani smashed a double and reached second base.

Standing there, he suddenly turned toward the Japanese dugout and repeatedly raised both arms, passionately urging his teammates to rise to the moment.

It was a side of Ohtani rarely seen before.

Later, he explained why he reacted that way:

“It was a lose-and-you’re-out game. It had been a long time since I’d played in a playoff-type atmosphere like that. We absolutely could not lose. That’s why I fired up the guys in the dugout.”

His intensity spread throughout the team.

Soon after, Masataka Yoshida drew a walk, and then Munetaka Murakami delivered the game-winning hit that brought two runners home.

Japan completed one of the most dramatic comeback victories in WBC history.

Ohtani has shown similar emotional leadership with the Los Angeles Dodgers as well.

Moments like this reveal just how fiercely he hates losing—and how deeply he wants to win.

Source

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

SHO-TIME 2.0: Shohei Ohtani’s Challenge to Become the Best in the World, p.106