Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman called Shohei Ohtani’s performance in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series “the greatest postseason performance ever.”
Ohtani went 3-for-3 with three home runs and three RBIs while also drawing a walk at the plate. He also started the game on the mound, posting six shutout innings while striking out 10 batters. After the game, Ohtani received the NLCS MVP award.
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“I think there’s no question about it,” Friedman said. “Through four innings I texted our Slack thread and said, ‘This is the greatest four innings every played in postseason history by a major league player. The greatest four innings ever.’ Then he hits another home run. ‘The greatest six innings ever. Seven innings.’ There’s no question it was the greatest postseason performance ever.
“He woke up this morning with people questioning him and 12 hours later he’s standing on the podium as the NLCS MVP. It speaks volumes about the game he had and the talent he has.”
Prior to Game 4, Ohtani had struggled at the plate for the Dodgers. He was batting .158 during the postseason and hadn’t hit a home run since the Dodgers’ opening game of the playoffs against the Cincinnati Reds. His turnaround in Game 4 is great news for the Dodgers, as it was only a matter of time until he got hot — and it came at the perfect time.
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The Dodgers are back in the World Series and are just four wins away from becoming the first defending World Series champions to repeat since 1999-2000, when the New York Yankees won their second and third World Series in a row.
The Dodgers will play either the Seattle Mariners or the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series, which begins next Friday. The Mariners currently hold a 3-2 lead in the ALCS, and could secure their spot in the Fall Classic on Sunday with a win in Game 6.
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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