What’s the greatest sports moment ever? Lebron James blocking a game-winning shot to complete the first 3-1 comeback in NBA finals history? Tom Brady leading the Patriots to overcome a 25-point deficit and win Super Bowl 51? Wilt Chamberlain scoring 100 points in one game? While all of these are impressive athletic feats, I believe the greatest and most impressive sports moment happened this fall. Shohei Ohtani is a 2 way superstar from Japan who not only pitches a 102 mph fastball, but can hit over 400 feet as well, setting him apart from other baseball players. Ohtani is a vital piece to the Dodgers Organization.
On October 17, the Los Angeles Dodgers faced off against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS, the penultimate round of the MLB playoffs. Game 4’s selected starting pitcher for the Dodgers was pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. In this game, Ohtani not only performed well as a pitcher but also had an incredible game as a hitter. Being in a slump for the past couple of games, Ohtani went 1 for 18, meaning in his last 18 appearances at the plate. He only had 1 hit, which comes out to an average of 0.56. For comparison, in the regular season, Ohtani had an average over 5 times greater at 0.282. Before this game, Ohtani practiced his swing at batting practice at Dodger Stadium, something he hadn’t done all season. It was clear he was attempting to put effort into overcoming this slump so that he could help his team get the final victory needed to move on.
As the first pitch was thrown, it was clear Ohtani’s pitching was going to be at the next level. In the first inning, he struck out all three batters he faced, a very difficult feat to accomplish in your first inning, especially in an MLB playoff game of this magnitude. Right after striking out the side, Ohtani hit a leadoff home run 446 feet to put the Dodgers on the board. After a quick 1-2-3 2nd inning, Ohtani was on the mound in the third to face more batters, where once again he struck out every single one. After another immaculate inning pitched, Ohtani went up to bat, where he again hit a home run deep to right field, smashing it 469 feet and slamming it out of Dodger Stadium. This is a feat rarely achieved by anyone, let alone in the postseason and by a starting pitcher. In the fourth inning, Ohtani struck out 2 more batters and again left the game scoreless, even with runners on base. Following this, he went up to bat again and crushed his third home run, 430 feet, solidifying this night as a career night and showing his dominance in the MLB. Finally, after a quick fifth inning, Ohtani struck out 2 more in the 6th and was replaced at the start of the seventh.
After the final out of the game, Ohtani received the NLCS Most Valuable Player award for his incredible performance in Game 4. His shutout pitching and home runs helped propel the Dodgers to a 5-1 win over the Brewers, knocking them out of the playoffs and sending them to the World Series. Not only did Ohtani go 3-3 with 3 homers, but he did it all while pitching 6 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts, facing the team with the best win-loss record in 2025. Many players dream of achieving just one of these achievements, yet he did it all at once. While the trophy was given to him, he had “Team Effort” engraved on it, to show that he believes he wouldn’t be able to achieve these monstrous achievements without his team. Shohei Ohtani is a generational star who continues to break and create new records. He’s a player unlike anything we’ve ever seen, and maybe we’ll never see again.
As the Dodgers finish off the playoffs with their second championship in a row, one question comes to the minds of many fans and critics. Will Shohei Ohtani be a driving force that can aid the team to their 3rd championship in a row? Or will another injury hinder his season?
