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Shohei Ohtani played in his first postseason game this October with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now he is set to make his World Series debut just a few weeks later. The two-way star is not pitching this year while he recovers from a UCL injury but that did not stop him from having an MVP-caliber season. After a 50-homer, 50-steal season, he has been spectacular in the playoffs. Before the Fall Classic begins, we'll be making our Shohei Ohtani World Series bold predictions.
After six seasons with the Angels, Ohtani signed a record-breaking contract to join the Dodgers. The $700 million investment has already paid dividends, as the designated hitter had his best season at the plate yet. In the postseason, he has hit .286 with a .934 OPS in 11 games. While no one doubted that he would shine under the bright lights, he has certainly proven there is no stage too big.
If the Dodgers win the World Series, it will be because Shohei Ohtani has a fantastic series. Even with their All-Star lineup behind him, the lead-off hitter sets the tone for LA and must be excellent against the Yankees. Let's see what the future holds in our Shohei Ohtani World Series bold predictions.
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Shohei Ohtani will hit at least one lead-off home run
The Dodgers start their lineup with three former MVPs, Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman. Freeman's ankle injury puts their lineup into question for the World Series, but the top two will stay the same. While their first innings have been electric all year, the entire sports world will get to see it in this series when Shohei Ohtani hits a lead-off home run.
The Yankees have a great one-two punch at the top of their rotation in Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón. If they are going, it will be hard for Ohtani to hit a homer off of them. The opportunities come after that, with righties Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil likely starting Games 2 and 4 respectively. With one of the greatest hitters of the generation at the plate, the Dodgers will get out to an early lead.
This is not a rarity for Ohtani and the Dodgers. While Kyle Schwarber grabbed headlines for breaking a record, Ohtani stroked a few lead-off jacks as well. In 90 regular-season games as the lead-off man, he hit six home runs in the first inning. He added another in Game 4 of the NLCS.
The Dodgers' designated hitter will lead the team in RBIs
Traditionally, it is hard for a lead-off hitter to lead his team in RBIs. That was the case this year, as Ohtani was the most-used lead-off hitter and led the Dodgers with 130 runs batted in. In the NLCS, shortstop Tommy Edman led LA with 11 RBIs, and Betts and Edman are tied for the overall postseason lead with 12. Ohtani will take the crown in the World Series.
Shohei Ohtani has ten RBIs in the postseason to this point, with three coming on his Game 1 NLDS home run. The Yankees succeeded in pitching around players to get advantageous matchups against the Guardians but that is a tough task against the Dodgers. With MVPs and All-Stars up and down the lineup, it will be nearly impossible to avoid Ohtani. He will make them pay by knocking in plenty of runs in the World Series.
Game 1 of the World Series is Friday, October 25 at 8:08 Eastern time at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani will come up first in the bottom of the first inning against defending Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole.
