Amidst Red-Hot Streak, Shohei Ohtani Cites ‘Professionalism’ As the Key Difference Between Dodgers and Angels Locker Room

It’s Shohei Ohtani’s world. With home runs and wins continuously coming, the Los Angeles Dodgers star is currently on clown nine. Each passing day brings Ohtani closer to his very first postseason appearance. For Ohtani, this is nothing short of a miracle, especially because since coming to the Major Leagues, he hasn’t even had a winning season to his name. So just what has changed for him this season?

Apart from the address of his homestand, Ohtani has also seen a shift in standards. Earlier in the season, it was mostly him and Mike Trout who had to carry the weight of the Halos’ hitting staff. But in the Dodgers, the two-way phenom is surrounded by such high quality that even on his off day, there’s someone to guide the team home. But then again, Ohtani isn’t even having off days; the star has been on fire since mid-April. Still, he has noted something in the Blue Crew’s clubhouse that has fascinated him.

Interestingly, the question was aimed at both the Halos and the Dodgers. The superstar was asked about the difference between the two teams. However, like he has always done, Ohtani avoided directly taking the angels’ names. “I could really just speak on behalf of this team—the current team. But I noticed that all the players are very professional with the way they go about preparing for the game and how we play the game,” Ohtani said in his postgame conference.

The superstar also noted that the Men in Blue are quite “proactive” in resolving their issues. That leads to the team quickly correcting its course, even after a tiny losing streak. This is something that has been known for a long time. The organizational strength and well-planned activities of the Dodgers have turned them into well-oiled machinery.

However, the fact that Ohtani still doesn’t want to openly compare the Angels and Dodgers shows how much respect he has for his previous team. But then, even if he doesn’t, the difference between the two California franchises is quite openly visible to everyone.

Shohei Ohtani’s Dodgers continue shining as the Angels collapse again

How different are the Dodgers and the Angels? How about being the polar opposite? It’s fascinating how different the fortunes are for both of these teams. The Blue Crew currently sits atop the NL West with a 22-13 record. On the other hand, the Halos are at the bottom of the AL West with a 12-21 record. The numbers are almost flipped between the two teams. One can say that their payrolls are different too, and that would make sense. Until one looks at AL East, where the Baltimore Orioles are on top once again.

So even if Shohei Ohtani doesn’t want to compare the Angels with the Los Angeles Dodgers, his activities tell the entire story. The superstar looks happy and is also turning into a prankster. But now that he’s finally on a team that is winning, can the two-way phenom go all the way? Perhaps he could; after all, Dave Roberts needs his Porsche and Ohtani needs his World Series.