The Los Angeles Dodgers, with Shohei Ohtani at the center of the team, defeated the New York Yankees four games to one to become World Series champions in 2024.

But before reaching the top of baseball, the team faced its toughest challenge against a familiar rival: the San Diego Padres, led by Yu Darvish.

Early in the season, the Dodgers had built a comfortable lead over San Diego in the National League West.

However, after the All-Star break, the Padres caught fire and relentlessly closed the gap.

By the end of the regular season, the Dodgers barely managed to hold on and secure the division title.

Then came the Division Series — the Dodgers’ very first postseason matchup — and once again, their opponent was the Padres.

After falling behind one game to two, the Dodgers stood on the brink of elimination.

One more loss, and their season would be over.

For most teams, that situation creates panic and desperation.

But Ohtani approached it differently.

“We just need to win two straight. I don’t really feel like there’s no tomorrow. To me, it’s simply a matter of winning two games in a row.”

That mindset changed everything.

Just as people react differently when looking at a glass half full or half empty, a team can either think:

“We can’t lose anymore.”

Or:

“We just need two more wins.”

The numbers are the same, but the mentality is completely different.

Ohtani chose to focus on possibility rather than fear.

The Dodgers responded by winning the next two games — and from there, they surged all the way to a World Series championship.

Source

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

Number Special Edition: Shohei Ohtani & the Dodgers’ World Championship Memories