NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS DODGERS

October 5, 2024

Shohei Ohtani

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Dodgers - 7, Padres - 5

Q. How much fun was that for you? And what were you thinking as you watched that ball go out?

SHOHEI OHTANI: I could really feel the intensity of the stadium before the game began, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Q. What about your feeling when the home run went out?

SHOHEI OHTANI: Very pleased to be able to tie the game in that situation and to be able to hit against a really good pitcher.

Q. Now that you have one postseason game under your belt, how does this atmosphere compare to the WBC or playoff games you played in Japan?

SHOHEI OHTANI: It's hard to compare, but I've played at this stadium the entire year and was able to really feel the intensity of the stadium. So again it's really hard to compare, but I thought it was pretty exciting.

Q. How difficult is it that elevated fastball from Cease to get to? And what adjustment, if any, did you make after he got you out on that same pitch in the first at-bat?

SHOHEI OHTANI: Again, he's one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball. He doesn't make a lot of mistakes and the other pitches are really good as well. So I was able to get to it and was happy that I was able to do so.

Q. What did you think allowed you guys to sort of rally back into this game, especially after being down 3-0 in the first inning?

SHOHEI OHTANI: It's really difficult for a playoff team to be able to get into and feel comfortable playing in the first game of the postseason, especially with the long layoff, but I think everybody really contributed today, the entire team, including the bullpen, especially. And it's always difficult to kind of close the gap between playing in live situations and not.

Q. What emotions were you experiencing, what were you feeling in that first at-bat tonight?

SHOHEI OHTANI: The focus was really in my first at-bat to focus on just having my swing, the quality at-bat that I look for despite being in an excited high-intensity environment. And although I was out that at-bat, I felt pretty good and wanted to carry that on throughout the other at-bats.

Q. You said playing in these games is why you wanted to come here. What joy did you experience being able to play in a game of this magnitude, also contribute?

SHOHEI OHTANI: There's difficulty in getting through a regular season, but I'm also experiencing what it's like to play in a postseason game, which is a difficulty in a different sense. I'm just very happy to be part of it.

Q. Before the game, in the dugout, you looked very excited. That said, you get in the batter's box, you seem really calm. I'm wondering, what do you do to get kind of your mind from one state to another?

SHOHEI OHTANI: Nothing I did in particular to switch from the excitement into how I was at the plate. I was just really focused every single at-bat. If you were to ask me to look back on each at-bat, I would probably struggle to recall everything.