Los Angeles — In a moment that should have been filled with cheers and bright lights, Shohei Ohtani silenced Dodgers Stadium as he spoke of his late grandfather—a man who never got to see his grandson become one of the greatest superstars in baseball history. After the Los Angeles Dodgers’ big win, Ohtani took the podium, his voice low, his eyes red. And then he said something that made the world stop: “I wish he was alive to see me today.”
For Dodgers fans and the MLB community, Ohtani has always been an inspiration—both a formidable slugger and a brilliant pitcher. But behind that aura is a quiet story of family, of a boy his grandfather once took to the ballpark, taught that “when you have a ball in your hand, hold it like you hold your dream.” It was his grandfather who first believed that Shohei could go beyond Japan, beyond his own limits and rewrite the definition of a “two-way player.”
But when Ohtani reached the pinnacle of MLB—MVP, record-breaking contract, home runs that shook America—his grandfather was nowhere to be seen. He passed away a few years ago, just before Ohtani entered the most brilliant phase of his career. And for Ohtani, who is reserved, emotional but rarely expressed in public, mentioning him is a rare, sincere, and painful thing.
“You always thought I could do it,” Ohtani said, trying to stay calm. “I just want you to know you’re right.”
The atmosphere in the press room seemed to freeze at that moment. Reporters stopped typing. Some viewers, even watching on TV, shared that they were in tears. And on social media, the hashtag #ForGrandpa began to spread within minutes.
Ohtani’s loved ones later shared that the relationship between him and Grandpa was the most sacred thing in his life. He was not only the person who drove him to practice, but also the person who instilled in him the discipline, humility, and fighting spirit to never give up—qualities that made Ohtani who he is today.
His Dodgers teammates also expressed deep respect for Ohtani’s emotional tribute. A teammate whispered to the media: “We saw how strong he was on the field. But today, we saw Shohei’s true heart.”
In Japan, a series of major newspapers simultaneously published the story. Many fans wrote that they understood more than ever why Ohtani always tried so hard to be extraordinary. “He played not only for himself, but also for his family, for his grandfather who passed away, for the whole country,” one fan shared.
What made the moment even more special was the way Ohtani ended his message:
“You didn’t see me win today… but I felt you here, right next to me.”
In the world of baseball, where people often speak in terms of achievements and numbers, Ohtani reminded us that there are things more powerful than the longest home run: memories, family, gratitude.
And tonight, as Dodgers Stadium lights up, millions of fans’ hearts are all focused on the same emotion—for Shohei Ohtani and the grandfather who instilled in him the dream that shines brightly throughout MLB.
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