Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani decided six years ago he was heading to the United States and Major League Baseball with one prevailing goal: win the World Series.
Ohtani and the Dodgers are the favorites to claim the 2024 World Series and the likely National League MVP is driving many of those opinions.
“I really feel like we finally arrived, I finally arrived at this stage,” Ohtani said as the Dodgers stomped past the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series. “A lot of the games we played were really tough and hard to win. And it was truly a team effort to get here.”
Team effort, sure. But at the top of the lineup and the No. 1 reason the Dodgers are on the doorstep of the title is No. 17.
Here are the 17 most telling numbers behind the success of Ohtani and the Dodgers courtesy of Inside Edge:
Ohtani …
–Has an OPS of 1.130 against RHP since last season — best in MLB
–Had an OPS of 1.915 when ahead in the count in the 2024 season — best in NL
–Had an OBP of .390 during the 2024 season — best in NL
–Is batting .490 in hitter’s counts since the 2022 season — best in MLB
–Has an OBP of .436 when facing the starting pitcher for the 3rd time in a game since the 2022 season — tied for best in MLB
–Is slugging .727 on breaking pitches against RHP since the 2022 season — best in MLB
–Is slugging .982 over the last 14 days of the regular season — best in MLB
–Is slugging .752 when facing the starting pitcher for the 3rd time in a game since the 2022 season — best in MLB
–Is slugging .759 with two-strikes over the last 14 days of the regular season — best in MLB
–Had an OPS of .985 on the road during the 2024 season — best in NL
–Slugged .719 on non-fastballs during the 2024 season — best in MLB
–Slugged .654 with bases empty in the 2024 season — best in MLB
–Had an OPS of 1.722 in innings 7-9 over the last 14 days of the regular season — best in MLB
–Has an OPS of 1.065 at home since last season — second in MLB
–Has an OPS of 1.050 since last season — second in MLB
–Is slugging .643 with runners on base since the 2022 season — second in MLB
–Slugged .935 in non-two strike counts in 2024 — second in MLB
