For fans of Dodger baseball, the past 12 years have been schizophrenic.  As monumental as the regular season records have been, the playoff runs have been short-lived and sometimes awful.

2013 – 92-70; lost in championship series

2014 – 94-68; lost in divisional series

2015 – 92-70; lost in divisional series

2016 – 91-71; lost in championship series

2017 – 104-58; lost in World Series

2018 – 92-71; lost in World Series

2019 – 106-56; lost in divisional series

2020 – 43-17; won World Series

2021 – 106-56; lost in championship series

2022 – 111-51; lost in divisional series

2023 – 100-62; lost in divisional series

During this incredible 12-year stretch, the L.A. club holds the best winning percentage of any team in baseball.  Normally, that track record would amount to the Dodgers anointed as a dynasty.  Unfortunately, titles are what ultimately determines such a distinction.  And the Dodgers have but one World Series championship (that shortened season one in 2020) to show for their regular season greatness.  It can be argued that 2017 should have been another when the Houston Astros were guilty of cheating their way to a title.

Talk to Dodger fans and they will conclude that the regular season means nothing as long as they don’t win a championship.

I used to feel that way, but this season I no longer do.

That’s due to one player:  Shohei Ohtani.

Every time he comes up to the plate it’s a thrill.  You have to stop what you’re doing and watch what he does.  Look at how many people in the stands are videotaping his at-bats.

For those who may not know, what makes Ohtani unique is his ability to hit and pitch at elite levels.  The only other player who did that was Babe Ruth.  It is why when he left Japan to come to America in 2018, several teams wanted him.  He signed with the Angels and won two Most Valuable Player awards. 

As a free agent over the winter, Ohtani signed with the Dodgers for $700 million, the most expensive contract for an athlete.  But it’s like signing two players at the same time:  a pitcher and a hitter.  Since he’s recovering from arm surgery this year, he is the Designated Hitter.

By focusing solely on hitting, he is doing things never done or rarely done before in the nearly 200 years of baseball.

Earlier this season he became the 6th player in MLB history to have at least 40 home runs and 40 steals in the same season. Of those players, he achieved that mark in the fewest games.

And on Sept. 19, the one-year anniversary of his arm surgery, Ohtani may have had the best single game every for any baseball player in history, when he surpassed 50 homers and 50 steals.

He went 6 for 6, with a single, 2 doubles and 3 homeruns; those homers were list last three at-bats.

Look at Ohtani’s stats for that single game:

• He had 10 RBIs, the most for any Dodger player.
• He’s the 16^th player to have 10 RBIs.
• He’s the 7^th player to have 17 total bases.
• He’s the 1^st player to have 3 HRs and 2 SBs.
• He’s the 1^st player to have 10 RBIs and 5 extra-base hits.
• His batting average increased from .287 to .294.

Ohtani challenged himself to steal more bases this year.  Previously, he only had 26 stolen bases out of 36 attempts.  As of this writing, he has 55 stolen bases out of 59 attempts. He also has 53 home runs.

That day, the Dodgers clinched a playoff spot for the 12^th straight year.  It also was the first time Ohtani in 7 years will be in the playoffs ending the longest streak of games for a current player who never played in a playoff game before.

What makes his productivity even more impressive is this.

• This is his first year adjusting to a new team and environment.
• In March, his closest American friend pled guilty to stealing $17 million in a gambling scandal; Ohtani had no idea of this betrayal.
• Signing such a huge contract did not harm his output; in fact, he is having his best year in the majors.

Think of the global media pressure Ohtani has managed in all of the visiting cities.  One thing is clear:  no moment overwhelms him.  In last year’s World Baseball Classic, he clinched the championship for Japan.  One can only imagine how he will perform in the playoffs.

And the most amazing part of this story is how humble of a person Ohtani is.  The first thing he said after the game:  “[I am] very respectful to the peers and everybody who came before who played the sport of baseball.”

Sports can provide a respite from negative news.  To marvel at how one human can perform at a level never before seen in a particular sport is glorious.

As much as I would love for the Dodgers to win their first full season championship since 1988, Ohtani is a champion, and next year when he pitches and hits, who know what records he will break?  I’m going to enjoy watching him play in Dodger Blue for the next 9 years.  How lucky we Dodger fans are!