Shohei Ohtani didn’t win the National League batting title, or claim the NL’s first triple crown since 1937, during the Dodgers season-finale 2-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
The fact it was even a possibility, however, was a testament to the dominant tear with which Ohtani finished his first Dodgers season.
Despite going one for four in Game 162 at Coors Field, Ohtani concluded the regular season with a staggering stat line:
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.310 batting average, his new career-high
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54 home runs and 130 RBIs, topping the NL in both categories
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59 stolen bases, including one Sunday, the most by a Japanese-born player
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411 total bases, second most in Dodgers history and the most by any major league player since 2001
“Obviously, you’ve seen a superstar,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Like I’ve said, I think the thing that I marvel at is the expectations that are put on him, that he puts on himself, and to still go out there every day and put on a show — I can’t imagine the pressure with all those expectations. But his preparedness, his work is very, very focused.”
“First and foremost, I think the most important part of all this is that I was able to play consistently throughout the whole year,” Ohtani added through interpreter Will Ireton. “I’m very thankful and grateful for all the staff who supported me throughout this year.”
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The final couple of weeks have been Ohtani’s most impressive. Starting with his historic six-hit game in Miami in which he created the 50-50 club, Ohtani entered Sunday with 26 hits in his last 39 at-bats with six home runs, six doubles, 20 RBIs and nine stolen bases.
In that time, he also closed the batting average gap between himself and NL leader Luis Arráez from 33 points (Ohtani was batting .287 to Arráez’s .320 mark on Sept. 18) to four points at the end of play Saturday (Ohtani .310, Arráez .314).
Ohtani claimed he “didn’t think about the triple crown,” he said through Ireton, “nor was I aware of how far or close I was to it today.”
Roberts, however, noticed a shift in approach from the slugger once he crossed the 50-home run threshold — with a late-season boost to his batting average seemingly becoming Ohtani’s final objective in a banner debut Dodgers season.
“I do know once he started getting hits and getting closer to .300, I thought his goal was to average .300 [for the season],” Roberts said this weekend. “I saw more intent to hit the ball flat, to get base hits versus just the uppercut to elevate the baseball.”
It wasn’t enough to get Ohtani the batting title.
While he didn’t single until the eighth Sunday, Arráez was one for three in the San Diego Padres’ loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, finishing the year batting .314 — the infielder’s third consecutive batting title, each with a different team.
Ohtani’s balanced finish has amplified the Dodgers’ already lofty confidence in the MVP favorite, especially as he prepares for his first postseason.
“There are going to be times when you just need a baserunner and he just needs to be able to get on base versus trying to hit a homer or something like that,” Roberts said. “To be able to do different things is absolutely useful … He just needs to keep doing what he’s doing.”
Freeman, Rojas update
Roberts reiterated on Sunday his confidence that injured first baseman Freddie Freeman (sprained ankle) and shortstop Miguel Rojas (adductor) will be available for Game 1 of the National League Division Series next Saturday.
“I don’t see any reason both those guys don’t get in lineup,” Roberts said.
That doesn’t mean, however, the Dodgers have considered possible backup plans.
While Tommy Edman would likely handle shortstop in the event Rojas isn’t ready, the Dodgers could tinker a little more at first. In Freeman’s absence this weekend, Kiké Hernández started all three games. But if needed in the playoffs, Roberts said he would consider moving Max Muncy to first and flipping Hernández (who is the better defensive player) to third.
In that scenario, “Max would then work out during this bye week at first base,” Roberts said. “But again, I expect this is a more short-term thing.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.