LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani sat behind a small table and waited.
Across the center field plaza at Dodger Stadium, a horde of media listened for the signal. Once it came, the stampede was on. Reporters and photographers ran, ignoring security's commands to walk, in a beeline to reach Ohtani first.
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Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Minus any screaming, it could have been the Beatles playing Dodger Stadium in 1966.
“That’s what I do whenever he shows up in the clubhouse,” Dodgers reliever Brent Honeywell joked.
Thursday's chaos was likely just the start as the Dodgers and New York Yankees prepared for Friday night's World Series opener.
“It just feels like it has finally arrived,” Ohtani said through an interpreter.
He may well have been talking about himself.
“I have been watching the World Series every year and watching in the sense of disappointment because I couldn’t play in one," Ohtani said, referring to his six losing seasons with the Los Angeles Angels before joining the Dodgers on a $700 million contract last offseason. “But this year, I’m able to participate in one and very much looking forward to it.”
Ohtanimania has come to the Fall Classic. Renowned for his unprecedented two-way skills, Ohtani hasn't pitched this season while recovering from right elbow surgery. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts re-affirmed Thursday there's no chance Ohtani takes the mound against New York.
“There is no possibility, none whatsoever,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Thank you for asking.”
But all eyes are still on him — not a new phenomenon for the 30-year-old international star.
Ohtani appeared unruffled by the pushing and shoving and wall of cameras and mics pointed at him. He rested his arms on the table, his fingers laced together, a slight smile on his boyish face.
“The guy never wavers,” said Honeywell, wearing a T-shirt commemorating Ohtani's historic 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season. “He is as advertised.”
Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus managed Ohtani and the Angels in 2019. Ohtani played a shortened season that year since he was recovering from Tommy John surgery at the start and had knee surgery near the end.
“It wouldn’t shock me if he went 60-60 and 20 wins a year from now,” Ausmus said. “This guy is the greatest baseball player ever and there’s not a close second.”
Ohtani has just three homers and no stolen bases this postseason after 54 homers and 59 steals during the regular season. He's batting .286 with 10 RBIs, hitting 6 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
“He is like a unicorn," Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. said. “But we got one of our own.”
That would be slugger Aaron Judge. He and Ohtani — baseball's top two home run hitters — traded compliments out of earshot of each other.
Told that Judge called him the best player in baseball, Ohtani replied, “I’m honored that that’s how he thinks of me. He's also one of the top players in this league.”
Judge said, "He can attack you in so many different ways. He can hit for power, for average, it’s a tough battle.”
Yankees outfielder Juan Soto is most impressed by Ohtani's consistency.
“He doesn’t take off and then come down,” he said. "He’s been coming up all the way, little by little and makes his goals. He works every day and is focused on what he wants.”
Ohtani's home country of Japan has already been tuning into the playoffs in record numbers to watch him and $325 million rookie teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Ohtani will have his personal cheering section on hand.
His parents are expected to attend the World Series. He made no mention of new wife, Mamiko, who has been an elusive presence during the playoffs.
And his dog Decoy?
“If he’s in good shape, yes he will,” Ohtani said of the pup popularized on his cleats and bobblehead this season. Decoy even threw out a first pitch with Ohtani's help.
After nearly 20 minutes of entertaining English-language questions, Ohtani segued into ones in Japanese.
In any language, he has the same goal.
“The greatest moment that I’m hoping for is for us to be able to celebrate with a World Series win,” he said.
AP freelance writer Jill Painter Lopez contributed to this report.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Even 8-year-old Charlie Freeman is excited about a Dodgers-Yankees World Series.
“He's at Universal (Studios) right now with a couple of his buddies, but he goes, ‘Daddy, I can’t wait for the World Series to start tomorrow,’” Los Angeles first baseman Freddie Freeman said at the last workout before Friday's opener. “He’s on YouTube and seeing all the videos about Yankees-Dodgers. So you're starting to get a hint of how big this could be.”
This will be the 12th Dodgers-Yankees matchup and the first in 43 years. The rivalry dates to 1941, when the Dodgers were in Brooklyn and Joe DiMaggio's Yankees were seeking their fifth title in six years.
“You can be the best player. You can do whatever you want,” Yankees star Juan Soto said, “but at the end of the day, people remember you because you won a World Series.”
Broadway vs. Hollywood has produced the starriest Series in decades, if not ever. The League Championship Series had the highest U.S. TV ratings since 2017, and that's been dwarfed by viewership of the Dodgers from Japan driven by interest in Shohei Ohtani.
“You could easily argue that on a global scale, the Yankees and the Dodgers are the most followed, the most supported, the most visible," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said.
This figures to be the first World Series featuring five MVPs: the Dodgers' Ohtani, Freeman and Mookie Betts, and the Yankees' Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. There hasn’t been even been a Fall Classic with four since 1971.
Ohtani and Judge are the likely MVPs this year, marking the first Series to feature both since San Francisco’s Buster Posey and Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera in 2012. This will be the first Series with a pair of 50-home run hitters in Judge (58) and Ohtani (54).
In an age of expanding playoffs, this is just the fifth World Series since the Wild Card Era started in 1995 involving the teams with the best records in each league.
“I’m sure I’m going to feel how special it is,” Ohtani said through an interpreter.
Players practiced in 85-degree weather as the sun highlighted Dodger Stadium's sky blue, yellow, light orange and sea foam green seats. Freeman, slowed by a bad ankle, insisted he will be in the lineup for the opener.
While the Dodgers are seeking their eighth title and second in five years, the Yankees are in the World Series for the first time since winning No. 27 in 2009.
“This is where the real fun starts,” Judge said.
Judge realizes a title is necessary for membership among the Yankees' greats.
“They definitely got a different aura walking around here when you got a couple of rings on your fingers,” he said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, is that you see that they’re battle-tested. They’ve been through the grind. They’ve been through the ups and downs and they came out on top.”
Roberts and Yankees manager Aaron Boone have faced each other since April 3, 1992, when Roberts' UCLA Bruins beat Boone's Southern California Trojans' 11-1 UCLA's Jackie Robinson Stadium.
“As we all know in here, you’re a Trojan for life. You’re a Bruin for four years,” Boone said playfully.
Told of Boone's shot, Roberts said: “Ouch! That hurts" and “absolutely disagree, 100 percent.”
Boone texted a Yankees emoji to Roberts when New York's charter flight landed Wednesday.
“There was another emoji I thought about sending him with one finger, but I didn’t,” Roberts said. “I just gave a laughing emoji back.”
Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty, who starts the opener against the Yankees' Gerrit Cole, was high school teammates with Max Fried and Lucas Giolito at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. Three years ago, Flaherty was at Houston's Minute Maid Park for World Series Game 6 along with Giolito to watch Fried get the win that finished off the Atlanta Braves' World Series title.
“It's a funny feeling watching that,” Flaherty said, “because you’re excited for one of your best friends and you’re incredibly happy for him, also at that same moment you’re a competitor and you want to be in that situation, you want to be on the field.”
Flaherty is 1-2 with a 7.04 ERA in three postseason starts this year. Cole is 1-1 with a 3.31 ERA in three starts.
Like Roberts, Cole went to UCLA. The pitcher's college rooting aligns more with the Dodgers manager than his own.
“Aaron and I don’t always agree on everything,” he said.
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner was 7 years old in 1977 when the Yankees won their first title under his father, George. New York clinched the title over the Dodgers with a Game 6 win in the Bronx as Reggie Jackson hit three homers on three straight swings.
“I’d say my two most prevalent memories are Reggie’s third home run, and of course the final popup that was caught by (Mike) Torrez and the pandemonium that ensued,” he recalled this week. “Was a great day!”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Yankees' Juan Soto speaks during media day for the baseball World Series, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton during media day for the baseball World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
A mural is displayed of Los Angeles Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela at Dodger Stadium Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. Valenzuela died Tuesday at age 63. The New York Yankees face the Dodgers in Game 1 of the baseball World Series Friday. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Workers prepare the field for the baseball World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts speaks during media day for the baseball World Series, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge watches batting practice during media day for the baseball World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty warms up during batting practice during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto arrives during batting practice during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, left, and his son Charlie, right, participate in spring training baseball workouts at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)
