MLB World Series 2024: Yankees vs. Dodgers baseball schedule, preview and five talking points

To say that Shohei Ohtani had an eventful first year with the Dodgers would be the biggest understatement.

After moving across town after six years with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani signed a ten-year contract worth a record-breaking $700 million (£558 million) and agreed to defer most of his salary to help the Dodgers grow stronger elsewhere can be.

Even before making his debut, Ohtani caused a stir on social media in his native Japan when he announced he had gotten married, sparking weeks of speculation before he revealed his wife's identity.

His long-time interpreter was fired by the Dodgers and arrested in connection with a multi-million dollar illegal gambling scam, to which the interpreter has now pleaded guilty.

Back on the field, Ohtani's dog Decoy “threw” the ceremonial first pitch in a game against the Baltimore Orioles in August, but the dog on the mound was eclipsed in September when his owner became the first MLB player to turn 50 Stehle hit 50 bases in home runs in the same season. The “50-50 baseball”, whose ownership is disputed, was sold at auction earlier this week for $4.4 million (£3.39 million).

While part of Ohtani's appeal stems from his rare status as a “two-way” player who can play at the highest level as both a hitter and a pitcher, elbow surgery has resulted in him not pitching in 2024, but his batting stats remain impressive.

And in his first postseason appearance, the sky is the limit for this undisputed global star.