TOKYO — Sunday morning in Japan began with a palpable buzz after the Los Angeles Dodgers announced Shohei Ohtani would start Game 7 of the World Series.
By the time countryman Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered the final out, Tokyo was erupting with joy.
“I am so proud today to be Japanese,” said cab driver Seiichiro Okada, who pulled his car to the side of the road to watch the ending. “To be able to watch these legends in real time is something else.”
Ohtani had two hits and also pitched, while Yamamoto earned World Series MVP after yet another stellar pitching performance as the Dodgers repeated as champions by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in 11 innings. Los Angeles trailed 3-0 and 4-2 but rallied with a tying homer from Miguel Rojas in the ninth inning and a tiebreaking homer by Will Smith in the 11th.
“I thought it was over for a second, but it was great,” said Hiroshi Hoshii, who was visibly teary-eyed.
Hoshii was among a big crowd of baseball fans spilling out into the street from Hub, a Tokyo fish-and-chips restaurant with several large screens where the game was shown live.
After the Dodgers’ victory, cheering people wearing Ohtani No. 17 jerseys broke out in dance at the Hub. They were among the millions of Japanese celebrating the Game 7 victory.
The win was especially sweet for the residents of Oshu city, Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan, Ohtani’s hometown.
“Thank you for the great game. Thank you. I am so moved,” said Yoshiyuki Kosaka, an Oshu resident and avid Ohtani fan.
Oshu Mayor Jun Kuranari said he was looking forward to more achievements from Ohtani.
“He is greatly respected around the world as a superstar not only for his baseball but for his character. He is definitely the pride and joy of this town,” said Kuranari.
The Dodgers were heavy favorites in the World Series but got a tough test from the Blue Jays, including one game that went 18 innings and a nail-biting 3-1 victory in Game 6 to force the winner-take-all showdown in Toronto.
Most Japanese were watching at home. Games 1 and 2 averaged 10.7 million viewers in Japan, and Game 7 was likely to eclipse that.
Baseball fans in Japan say they had watched every game, even those who came home after working night shifts. Delivery workers said they watched whenever they could on their trucks.
Ohtani has been a star in baseball-mad Japan since he was an amateur, and his likeness is now everywhere here, including on ads for sneakers, cosmetics, electronics and more.
Fans are proud of his extraordinary two-way prowess — he’s one of the sport’s best hitters and also a dominant pitcher. But people also note his character, pointing to his unpretentious and friendly behavior in the dugout. There’s a sense that he always remembers his Japanese roots, speaking in Japanese in interviews and addressing his fans.
His wife, former professional basketball player Mamiko, as well as their dog, Decoy, routinely make headlines. Their daughter, born earlier this year, is already big news, starting with Ohtani’s announcement of the birth on Instagram, complete with a photo of her tiny feet.
Yamamoto stole the show in the World Series, though. He pitched a rare complete game in a Game 2 victory, then won Games 6 and 7 with gutsy, back-to-back performances that easily earned him Series MVP honors.
Kowa Minami, a waiter at the Hub, the restaurant hosting the public viewing, said he can’t let it on which team he is cheering for. Some of the customers were clearly rooting for the Blue Jays.
“But to be honest I like the Dodgers because they have Japanese players,” he said.
The Dodgers have riveted many in Japan, including Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. During a meeting several days ago with U.S. President Donald Trump, she told reporters the game was on and so they watched a bit together.
SNTV videographer Koji Ueda contributed to this report from Oshu, Japan.
