Shohei Ohtani is widely considered the most talented MLB player of all-time, a notion he can strengthen with a fourth consecutive MVP Award and first-ever Cy Young crown in 2026. But his individual greatness means more when it contributes to winning baseball. The Japanese superstar has been with the Los Angeles Dodgers for two years, and he has two World Series rings to show for it. He is eyeing immortality this season.
And he wants his teammates to do the same. When Dodgers players arrived in the clubhouse before their Opening Day matchup versus the Arizona Diamondbacks, they discovered some nice bling in their lockers. Ohtani gifted each member of the Boys in Blue a new $4,000 thousand Seiko watch, but perhaps just as significant was the note that accompanied them. “Let's three-peat,” it read, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez.
LA can become just the third franchise ever to win three straight World Series titles (New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics), a feat that would redefine dominance in the modern age and also intensify salary cap arguments. After somehow outlasting the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the 2025 Fall Classic, the Dodgers feel like a team of destiny. That is a dangerous quality for one of the most loaded squads in MLB history to possess.
Shohei Ohtani is not taking anything for granted, however. He understands how difficult it was for Los Angeles to survive in Toronto. Staying on top requires the utmost discipline and dedication. Following a fantastic 2025 campaign that saw him post 55 home runs, a .622 slugging percentage, 1.014 OPS, and a 2.87 ERA in 47 innings pitched, it is clear that No. 17 is the standard in the National League.
If Ohtani maintains that status through this season, the Dodgers will have a good shot at validating the words on his note.
