LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� sat behind a small table and waited.
Across the center field plaza at Dodger Stadium, a horde of media listened for the signal. Once it came, the stampede was on. Reporters and photographers ran, ignoring security's commands to walk, in a beeline to reach Ohtani first.
Minus any screaming, it could have been the Beatles playing Dodger Stadium in 1966.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I do whenever he shows up in the clubhouse,鈥� Dodgers reliever Brent Honeywell joked.
Thursday's chaos was likely just the start as the prepared for Friday night's opener.
鈥淚t just feels like it has finally arrived,鈥� Ohtani said through an interpreter.
He may well have been talking about himself.
鈥淚 have been watching the World Series every year and watching in the sense of disappointment because I couldn鈥檛 play in one," Ohtani said, referring to his six losing seasons with the Los Angeles Angels before joining the Dodgers on a $700 million contract last offseason. 鈥淏ut this year, I鈥檓 able to participate in one and very much looking forward to it.鈥�
He appeared unruffled by the pushing and shoving and wall of cameras and mics pointed at him. He rested his arms on the table, his fingers laced together, a slight smile on his boyish face.
鈥淭he guy never wavers,鈥� said Honeywell, wearing a T-shirt commemorating and 50 stolen bases in a season. 鈥淗e is as advertised.鈥�
Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus managed Ohtani and the Angels in 2019. Ohtani played a shortened season that year since he was recovering from Tommy John surgery at the start and had knee surgery near the end.
鈥淚t wouldn鈥檛 shock me if he went 60-60 and 20 wins a year from now,鈥� Ausmus said. 鈥淭his guy is the greatest baseball player ever and there鈥檚 not a close second.鈥�
Ohtani has just three homers and this postseason after 54 homers and 59 steals during the regular season. He's batting .286 with 10 RBIs, hitting 6 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
鈥淗e is like a unicorn," Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. said. 鈥淏ut we got one of our own.鈥�
That would be slugger . He and Ohtani 鈥� baseball's top two home run hitters 鈥� traded compliments out of earshot of each other.
Told that Judge called him the best player in baseball, Ohtani replied, 鈥淚鈥檓 honored that that鈥檚 how he thinks of me. He's also one of the top players in this league.鈥�
Judge said, "He can attack you in so many different ways. He can hit for power, for average, it鈥檚 a tough battle.鈥�
Yankees outfielder Juan Soto is most impressed by Ohtani's consistency.
鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 take off and then come down,鈥� he said. "He鈥檚 been coming up all the way, little by little and makes his goals. He works every day and is focused on what he wants.鈥�
Ohtani's home country of Japan has already been tuning into the playoffs in record numbers to watch him and $325 million rookie teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Ohtani will have his personal cheering section on hand.
His parents are expected to attend the World Series. He made no mention of new wife, Mamiko, who has been an elusive presence during the playoffs.
And his dog Decoy?
鈥淚f he鈥檚 in good shape, yes he will,鈥� Ohtani said of the pup popularized on his cleats and bobblehead this season. Decoy even with Ohtani's help.
After nearly 20 minutes of entertaining English-language questions, Ohtani segued into ones in Japanese.
In any language, he has the same goal.
鈥淭he greatest moment that I鈥檓 hoping for is for us to be able to celebrate with a World Series win,鈥� he said.
___
AP freelance writer Jill Painter Lopez contributed to this report.
___
AP MLB:
Beth Harris, The Associated Press
