Shohei Ohtani began playing baseball seriously in the second grade of elementary school.
At that time, simply being able to play alongside older kids made the game incredibly fun for him.

That does not mean he finds baseball unenjoyable now.
Ohtani still plays the game with visible enjoyment, but he explains that the type of enjoyment has changed over time.

During his Little League days, even if he did not get a hit, it was enough for the team to win for the day to feel fun.
Improving through practice was enjoyable in itself, and much of that experience was filled with a sense of pure, uncomplicated joy.

The enjoyment he feels today is different.
It comes from being able to do things he once could not after extensive training,
from pushing through physically demanding situations,
and from achieving positive results after overcoming difficulty.

In the demanding environment of Major League Baseball, there are many days when things do not go as planned.
Even with great effort, poor team results can make the experience feel heavy and frustrating.

Perhaps because of that, Ohtani reflects,
“When I was little, I could simply enjoy baseball as a game. In that sense, those days might have been the most fun.”

As with anything, once responsibility and compensation are involved, even the things we love become more difficult.
Yet despite all of that, Ohtani continues to play baseball with a genuine sense of enjoyment — and that may be what makes him truly remarkable.

Source

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

Shohei Ohtani: Baseball Soaring Years II – MLB 2018–2024, Long Interview, p.170