There is no getting around the fact that Shohei Ohtani is the face of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In fact, he is arguably the face of baseball. Ohtani is coming off his fourth MVP season and helping lead the Dodgers to their second straight World Series title. 

The fandom surrounding him is palpable, so much so that the sight of him working out and waving to the fans was enough to make them go berserk, per Dodgers Nation. 

Ohtani is a 21st-century baseball anomaly, one of the best sluggers and solid pitchers in the game. This past year, Ohtani batted .282 with 55 home runs, 172 hits, and 102 RBIs. As a pitcher, Ohtani compiled a 1-1 record with a 2.87 ERA and 47 innings pitched. 

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In the postseason, he came through in a big way in the decisive Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers. Altogether, Ohtani pitched six shutout innings and came away with ten strikeouts. It was the perfect way to complete a four-game sweep. 

Before the season, Ohtani will be representing his native Japan at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. In the process, he aims to help lead Japan to its second straight WBC title after winning in 2023. 

In Japan, Ohtani is rock-star-like in status. His ascent to prominence makes him a virtual national hero, raising the profile of all Japanese players. In many ways, Ohtani is treated the way Babe Ruth was during his heyday in the Roaring 1920s. 

So Ohtani is in at the prime of his life, and with the way things are going, he isn't letting up anytime soon.