Shohei Ohtani and Dodgers ready to challenge Padres' Yu Darvish in NLDS Game 5 – Orange County Register

LOS ANGELES – There are two moments from last week that should be added to Shohei Ohtani's highlight reel.

In Game 1 of that National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres, he hit a three-run home run in his second postseason at-bat to tie the score and shot his bat away, giving the bat's exit velocity of 111.8 mph apparently the equivalent was baseball.

In Game 4, he was subbed out at home plate after attempting to score from second base when a ground ball bounced off the glove of Padres third baseman Manny Machado – but it hit the umpire and fell close enough ground for Machado to recover.

After the play, cameras caught Ohtani in the dugout reviewing the play on an iPad and shouting angrily (including an English vulgarity).

When asked about that reaction on Thursday, Ohtani said with a mischievous smile, “I completely forgot about that,” prompting laughter from the media.

Both moments were consistent with the larger emotion Ohtani has displayed over the last month, as he reveled in his first chance at meaningful games in September – and all the games in October.

“Playing a regular season game is different than playing a playoff game,” Ohtani said Thursday when asked about his more frequent displays of emotion this season. “And I think a lot of players end up… showing their emotions. So I feel like I'm a part of it.

“That doesn't surprise me. I think it's a part of me too. Obviously be respectful and considerate of the opponent. I think it’s an important part of the game.”

In the first four postseason games of his career, Ohtani is 4 for 16 with a Game 1 home run and four RBIs. All four of his hits (and one walk) came with runners on base.

“There’s nothing special I do with runners on base or no runners,” he said. “When there are runners on base, there's obviously going to be more pressure on the pitcher, and I think it was good that I was able to add to that.”

Yu Darvish never allowed Ohtani to the plate with runners on base in Game 2. Ohtani was 0 for 3 with one strikeout against Darvish, who he calls his “childhood hero.” Ohtani and the Dodgers will try to solve Darvish again in Game 5.

“He doesn’t rely on a plan,” Ohtani said of Darvish, who threw a seven-pitch mix against the Dodgers in Game 2. “With that in mind, as batsmen we have to be able to adapt. That's what makes him good and smart too.”

Darvish has actually been good and skilled against the Dodgers since leaving them in free agency after the 2017 season. Since then, he has made 17 starts against the Dodgers with a 2.35 ERA – including two postseason starts in 2022 and this year.