A look back on the first year of Ohtani with the Dodgers, plus manager Dave Roberts will receive a Good Character award in downtown LA on Wedensday.
Monday marked the one-year anniversary of Shohei Ohtani announcing on Instagram that he signed with the Dodgers, for a 10-year contract that will pay him a total of $700 million.
The first year worked out like gangbusters for all parties, even though Ohtani never pitched in a game while rehabbing from right elbow surgery. He settled for authoring the first 50-50 season in major league history and won his third career MVP award in unanimous fashion, all for a team that won the World Series.
Jack Harris wrote a comprehensive look back at Ohtani’s first year with the Dodgers at the Los Angeles Times, including this quote from team president and CEO Stan Kasten:
“We do our best to capitalize on whatever opportunities we have, and I think we were well prepared for it,” team president Stan Kasten said. “But what we weren’t prepared for was how significant his impact would be. It really transcended any of our plans. It just did.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will be honored Wednesday night with the 2024 Good Character Award by Greater Los Angeles Scouting downtown.
The award, which “will celebrate Roberts’ contributions to the Los Angeles community, emphasizing his role as a leader who inspires others through actions on and off the baseball diamond,” will be presented to Roberts by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.
The gala, which will be hosted by Anthony Anderson, will raise money for local Scouting programs for thousands of boys and girls in and around Los Angeles.
“Baseball has been a source of inspiration and unity for Los Angeles, and we are excited to recognize Dave’s leadership both on and off the field,” Greater Los Angeles Scouting president and chairman of the board Steven J. Rothans said in a statement. “He exemplifies the values of the Scout Law and is the perfect recipient of the Good Character Award.”