MIAMI (AP) — Shohei Ohtani calls Miami's loanDepot Park, the site of the knockout rounds of this year's World Baseball Classic, one of his favorite stadiums.
It's not hard to imagine why. It's the place where he delivered two of baseball's quintessential moments from the last few years.
It's the ballpark where, on Sept. 19, 2024, he entered — created, really — baseball's 50-50 club. All Ohtani did that night: go 6 for 6, hit three home runs, steal two bases, drive in 10 runs, become the first player ever to reach 50 homers and 50 steals in a season. And if that wasn't enough, the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched a playoff berth that night to officially begin down the path of what has become back-to-back World Series titles.
And in 2023, the last time he wore the Japan uniform in Miami, Ohtani delivered the knockout punch in the WBC — striking out Mike Trout, his then-teammate with the Los Angeles Angels, on a full-count curve to seal Japan's 3-2 win over the U.S. in the title game.
Ohtani is back, and so is Japan, looking for another title. They worked out on the Miami Marlins' field Thursday, two days before they'll take on Venezuela in a WBC quarterfinal game.
"This is the place I have very good memories," Ohtani said through an interpreter Thursday.
Ohtani has won three consecutive MVP awards — one in the AL, then two in the NL since joining the Dodgers — and was the AL's MVP in 2021 as well. That's four in five seasons, something only Barry Bonds (who won four of his seven MVPs consecutively) has done in baseball history.
All four of Ohtani's MVP awards have come in unanimous votes. He was MVP of the 2023 WBC as well, and if Japan — the only three-time champion in the event's history — wins again, Ohtani will have yet another reason to celebrate in Miami.
It won't end exactly the same way this year, since Ohtani isn't pitching in this year's WBC, but another title — however it arrives — would be good enough. He likes Miami, likes the memories he has there, but knows it's time to create new ones.
"Of course, I'm not going to bring memories to the next game," Ohtani said. "But I think there is a very positive influence to myself."
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