Ohtani heads to World Series for first time, achieving goal he had when signing with Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani got what he came for when he decided to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers: a trip to the World Series.

“I really feel like we finally arrived. I finally arrived at this stage,” Ohtani said through a translator after Sunday night's 10-5 win over the New York Mets finished the NL Championship Series in six games.

Ohtani hit .364 with two homers, six RBIs, nine walks and a 1.184 OPS against the Mets, including two hits and an RBI in Game 6. He's batting .286 with three homers and 10 RBIs over 11 games in his first postseason heading into the World Series starting Friday against the New York Yankees.

When he signed his record $700 million, 10-year contract last December, Ohtani agreed to defer $68 million annually to give the team payroll flexibility. The Dodgers signed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, traded for pitcher Tyler Glasnow and signed outfielder Teoscar Hernández, among other moves.

“The goal was to get to this far,” Ohtani said, “and I also pictured myself getting this far with the contract that I’ve signed.”

Not pitching this year as he recovered from elbow surgery, Ohtani hit .310 with NL bests of 54 homers and 130 RBIs along with 59 stolen bases to become the first 50-50 player. He is likely to win his first NL MVP award after a pair of AL MVPs.

“He’s the world’s biggest baseball star. Not just the game, the world,” teammate Max Muncy said. “He shows up every day, you expect him to do something incredible and he very rarely disappoints. He works his tail off, he’s a great teammate. We’ve loved having him in the clubhouse and getting to be his teammate all year long has been an absolute treat.”

Ohtani is 18 for his last 23 RISP going back to his 10-RBI game on Sept. 19 when he became the first 50-50 player. He had an 0-for-22 stretch with no runners on base.

“There’s nothing in particular that I changed,” Ohtani said. “Obviously when there’s situations, I do change how I swing. But in terms of my approach, I’ve been continuing with my approach the whole time. I do think a part of it is it’s just a small sample size.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates after their win against the New York Mets in Game 6 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles. The Dodgers will face the New York Yankees in the World. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates after their win against the New York Mets in Game 6 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles. The Dodgers will face the New York Yankees in the World. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates their win against the New York Mets in Game 6 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles. The Dodgers will face the New York Yankees in the World Series. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates their win against the New York Mets in Game 6 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles. The Dodgers will face the New York Yankees in the World Series. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a double by Tommy Edman during the first inning in Game 6 of a baseball NL Championship Series against the New York Mets, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani hits RBI-single against the New York Mets during the sixth inning in Game 6 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani bats against the New York Mets during the first inning in Game 6 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani celebrates in the locker room after their win against the New York Mets in Game 6 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles. The Dodgers will face the New York Yankees in the World (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani celebrates in the locker room after their win against the New York Mets in Game 6 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles. The Dodgers will face the New York Yankees in the World (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas man whose execution was halted after a last-ditch maneuver by lawmakers who believe Robert Roberson did not kill his 2-year-old daughter was expected to testify before a state House panel on Monday, four days after he had been scheduled to die by lethal injection.

Roberson had been set to become the first person in the U.S. executed over a murder conviction connected to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome. His claims of innocence are backed by a group of Republican and Democratic legislators who say he was convicted based on outdated science.

Once Roberson testifies to lawmakers, prosecutors could seek a new execution date at any time, according to Gretchen Sween, one of his attorneys.

Lawmakers have sought to have Roberson transported from death row to appear in person, raising the possibility of an extraordinary scene in the Texas Capitol, but the state attorney general's office told the committee he would appear virtually.

Rebuffed by the courts and Texas’ parole board in their efforts to spare Roberson’s life, legislators last Thursday subpoenaed Roberson to testify in an unusual tactic to buy him more time. Lawmakers on the House committee have expressed frustration with Texas' junk science law, which they say has failed to work as intended, including in Roberson's case.

The 2013 law allows a person convicted of a crime to seek relief if the evidence used against them is no longer credible. At the time, it was hailed by the Legislature as a uniquely future-proof solution to wrongful convictions based on faulty science. But Roberson’s supporters say his case points to faults in the judicial system where the law has been weakened by deliberate misinterpretation from the state’s highest criminal court.

In the last 10 years, 74 applications have been filed and ruled on under the junk science law. A third of applications were submitted by people facing the death penalty. All of them were unsuccessful.

Anderson County District Attorney Allyson Mitchell, whose office prosecuted Roberson, has previously told the committee that a court hearing was held in 2022 in which Roberson’s attorneys presented their new evidence to a judge, who rejected their claims.

Roberson was sentenced to death for the killing of his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis, in 2002. Prosecutors argued the infant's death was caused by serious head trauma from being violently shaken back and forth. Roberson's attorneys say that the bruising on Curtis' body was likely due to complications with severe pneumonia and not child abuse.

Almost 90 lawmakers across party lines, medical experts and best-selling author John Grisham had called on Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to stay his execution. Abbott has not commented on Roberson's case and the Texas parole board rejected pleas to grant clemency.

Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Texas state representatives Lacey Hull, left, and John Bucy III comment during a press conference after the stay granted by the Texas Supreme Court to halt the execution of Robert Roberson, at the Huntsville Unit of the Texas State Penitentiary, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Huntsville, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Jennifer Martin, left, and Thomas Roberson, older brother of condemned prisoner Robert Roberson, right, holds signs as they protest outside the prison where Roberson is scheduled for execution at the Huntsville Unit of the Texas State Penitentiary, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Huntsville, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Texas man whose execution was halted by subpoena set to testify to lawmakers

Texas man whose execution was halted by subpoena set to testify to lawmakers

FILE - Texas lawmakers meet with Robert Roberson at a prison in Livingston, Texas, Sept. 27, 2024. (Criminal Justice Reform Caucus via AP, File)