When he’s on the field, he steals the headlines with his base running, slugging power, and pitching. But his actions off the field also resonate.
In an interview with Japanese media, the Dodgers manager told the story of how the two-time champions made a “huge contribution” to help a relief pitcher’s mother undergo cancer treatment.
“Shohei does a lot of great things, but a lot of what he does is so low-key and quiet that people don’t talk about it,” he said.
Berland made seven relief pitches for the Dodgers during the 2024 season, including one against the San Diego Padres, posting a 4.50 ERA in six innings before being drafted in July of that year.
Roberts said he ran into Berland’s mother during the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, where his brother Lewis was pitching. Roberts said her mother told her she didn’t have cancer.
After spending his first six major league seasons with the Dodgers, Ohtani played for the Dodgers. In November he won the , becoming the only player other than Barry Bonds to win more than three times.
Ohtani hit 55 home runs, had a batting average of .282, and an ERA of 2.87 in 2025, contributing to the Dodgers’ second consecutive World Series victory.
