LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers are one win away from the World Series.
After a 3-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night, the Dodgers have a chance to close out the National League Championship Series at home Friday, with two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani set to make his first postseason start at Dodger Stadium.
For fans like Jon Tawa, the moment carries more than just baseball stakes.
“It’s part of me I feel like, you know, being Japanese,” Tawa said.
Tawa, whose family immigrated from Japan, grew up a devoted Dodgers fan. Over time, that connection faded — until Ohtani signed with the team.
“It’s the best experience I’ve ever had,” he said. “I just want to put my hands out, shout and scream and cry.”
With the Dodgers on the brink of another World Series appearance, Tawa plans to do whatever it takes to watch Ohtani take the mound — and, he hopes, celebrate a clinching win.
“He’s a unicorn from another world,” Tawa said. “He can pitch, he can hit, he can run. What can he not do?”
Ohtani, who has struggled at the plate this postseason with a 3-for-29 slump, downplayed any concerns about balancing hitting and pitching duties.
“I don’t necessarily think the pitching has affected my hitting performance,” Ohtani said. “As long as I control what I can control on the pitching side, I feel pretty good. On the hitting side, it’s just stance, mechanics — it’s a constant work in progress.”
The Dodgers have leaned heavily on their starting pitching throughout the series and hope Ohtani can finish the job Friday, completing a four-game sweep of the Brewers.
“He’s going to come through,” he said. “The great players — they find a way to do it.”
On the doorstep of another World Series, the Dodgers aren’t just winning games — they’re winning hearts far beyond LA.