Shohei Ohtani will enter the postseason for the first time in his career after the Los Angeles Dodgers won the NL West on Thursday night, scoring five runs in the seventh inning in a 7-2 victory over the second-place San Diego Padres.
The Japanese superstar spent his first six MLB seasons in Anaheim, where the Los Angeles Angels never had a winning record or played in October. He signed a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers last offseason.
However, he made a rookie mistake. Ohtani was not wearing goggles like most of his teammates during the alcohol-soaked clubhouse party. He blinked hard several times and his eyes appeared red as he spoke to the media outside the beating party.
“It stung my eyes a little bit,” he said, smiling. “It was a great feeling and I hope I can keep popping more champagne.”
Ohtani went 3 for 5, driving in a go-ahead run and scoring another.
“Today I came to the stadium with the desire to qualify and I am happy that we were able to do that,” Ohtani said through an interpreter.
Ohtani’s blue T-shirt was soaked and his dark hair was damp. Cigar smoke poured from the clubhouse.
“Shohei was showered with champagne. He will smell like a brewery for the next week,” manager Dave Roberts said. “This is what Shohei signed up for, this is what he wanted to be a part of. Shohei has just been remarkable this entire season.”
Ohtani recently became the first player in Major League history with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season. He reached a total of 400 bases on Thursday, becoming the first player to do so since 2001.
The Dodgers had not played at home since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when cardboard cutouts replaced fans in the stands. The last time fans were present at home for a clincher was in 2018.
“It’s total chaos, just as it should be, and it never gets old,” said general manager Brandon Gomes.
A sold-out crowd of 52,433, including retired Dodgers star Manny Ramirez, packed Dodger Stadium for the finale of the pivotal series. They recorded their 41st comeback win of the season, tops in the National League.
“Just a lot of fight from these guys,” said catcher Will Smith, who along with his teammates donned T-shirts that read “We Own the West.”
The Dodgers took two of three from the Padres and head to Colorado for a three-game set to close out the regular season.
Their 11th division title in 12 seasons earned them a first-round bye in the postseason. That will give All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman time to recover from an injured right ankle suffered late in the game. He was on crutches and in walking boots after the game.
The Dodgers improved to 95-64 and open the playoffs on October 5 at home in a best-of-five Division Series.
Smith hit a game-tying, two-run homer off Joe Musgrove to start the Dodgers’ rally. Musgrove had held them scoreless through six innings as the Padres took a 2-0 lead.
“It got everyone going,” said Smith, who has 20 home runs in a season for the third time in his career.
Musgrove gave up a walk to Max Muncy. Smith followed with a 130-yard shot to the middle, tying the game at 2-2. It was the Dodgers’ first home run in the three-game series.
Pinch-hitter Kiké Hernández singled and took second base when Andy Pages reached on Kyle Higashioka’s catcher’s interference. Ohtani singled and Hernández scored on an error, while Ohtani was safely at second on a throwing error by Fernando Tatis Jr.
Pages and Ohtani scored on Mookie Betts’ single to make it 5-2.
Pages added a two-run, two-strike, two-out homer in the eighth.
The rally against the Padres was dampened by Freeman’s departure after a clumsy collision with Luis Arraez and the first base bag trying to avoid being tagged in for the second of the seventh. Freeman grabbed his lower right leg before staggering off the field.