Shohei Ohtani perhaps plays with the highest expectations riding on him. Every game, fans expect him to hit home runs and throw fireballs from the mound. However, the Dodgers’ Japanese phenom upped his game so high that even the manager, Dave Roberts, is not satisfied without seeing Ohtani hit a homer. So, despite Ohtani surpassing a historic feat on Friday, Roberts demands more.

“He’s taking walks, getting hits,” Roberts said after Friday’s game. “(But) he hasn’t really got going yet.”

Yes, you heard that right. Someone remarked that Ohtani hasn’t really gotten going yet! Currently, he is hitting at .265 and has 3 HRs. However, Friday was the night that saw Andy Pages and Max Muncy shine, and Ohtani stay low. While Muncy scored 5 runs, including 3 homers, and Pages finished off with 1 HR and 4 RBIs, Ohtani managed just 1 hit from 4 at-bats.

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No usual dominance and no skyshots that made Roberts crave more. “I thought he was gonna hit a home run tonight,” Roberts shared his fan-boy moment. “I think he wanted a home run tonight, on his bobblehead night.”

Well, we don’t blame Roberts here. Shohei Ohtani made his name as one of the league’s best clutch players. Remember the NLCS Game 4 last year? Ohtani hit 3 HRs in a single game while also striking out 10 batters as the starting pitcher to help the Dodgers clinch the National League pennant. So, as Friday night was his bobblehead event game, many, including Roberts, expected a big moment from Ohtani.

Still, despite Ohtani not being at his usual best, he made the night special by becoming the top Japanese player in reaching base consecutively for 44 games. He broke the record of another Japanese legend, Ichiro Suzuki, who had reached the bases in 43 consecutive games. On the other hand, Ohtani missed out on another record.

Reportedly, coming into Wednesday’s start on the mound, he was carrying the longest active scoreless streak of 22.2 innings as a pitcher, the best mark of his career. However, that streak ended after Ohtani surrendered one run in a six-inning performance against the Blue Jays. Still, it’s remarkable for a player to hold the current longest on-base streak and the longest active scoreless inning streak in the sport. This proves why Shohei Ohtani was termed special by Roberts a few days ago.

“He’s going to get hot. That’s a good thing for us,” Roberts said. So, it’s just a matter of time until Ohtani is back to his best. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are winning beyond the foul line as well.

Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers are all about winning

Apart from winning the World Series for the second consecutive time and Ohtani winning the MVPs, the Dodgers are still splashing.

Just a few days ago, Red Sox legend David Ortiz shared how the Dodgers invested around $100 million in their stadium renovation, which includes a dedicated batting cage for Ohtani. And if you think that’s flexing of financial muscle, there’s more.

The team reportedly just signed a five-year, $125 million deal with Uniqlo for the naming rights of the playing field at Dodger Stadium, further adding to the owners’ spending limits. And guess what, despite all the criticisms targeted at them, the Dodgers front office is unapologetic. “I recognize that we have advantages that other teams don’t get to benefit from. I acknowledge that. I’m not going to apologize for capitalizing,” Dodgers president Stan Kasten said.

The biggest advantage that the Dodgers have over the other 29 teams is undoubtedly Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani runs the show for the Dodgers. Since 2023, Ohtani has topped jersey sales in the United States, Japan, and worldwide. This includes 30 consecutive months at No. 1. Moreover, the Dodgers secured partnerships with major Japanese brands such as ANA, Daiso, and Yakult, who wanted to align with Ohtani, adding roughly $75 million in new Japanese sponsorship revenues to the team’s books.

Hence, for a player who not only drives a team’s on-field numbers but also their economics, it is obvious that expectations will be high. Ohtani knows, and he delivers.