How Shohei Ohtani became one of baseball’s biggest stars: A look inside his extraordinary achievements and the setbacks that shaped his journey

Shohei Ohtani’s road to the top of baseball has never been easy. Once a star in Japan and now a two-way player in Major League Baseball, he has continued to attain milestones that once seemed quite unachievable. There have also been hard times along the way that have tested his career. But every tale has added to the story of how Ohtani became one of the sport’s most recognisable names.What makes his journey stand out is that Ohtani has rarely taken the easy route. He chose to keep developing as both a hitter and a pitcher even when the demands of doing both made his career harder to manage. That decision has brought spectacular highs as well as frustrating setbacks, giving his rise a human side that goes beyond the numbers attached to his name.Shohei Ohtani has won MVP awards lifted a World Series trophy and built the achievements that made him one of baseball’s biggest starsOhtani arrived in Major League Baseball with a goal that immediately set him apart. He wanted to prove he could succeed as both a hitter and a pitcher at the highest level.That alone made his path unusual.Most players eventually focus on one side of the game. Ohtani kept pushing in both directions. He showed that he could produce at the plate while also taking the mound and competing against some of the best players in the sport.His time with the Los Angeles Angels established him as one of baseball's most exciting stars. He won the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 2018 before taking another major step forward.In 2021, Ohtani won his first American League Most Valuable Player Award. His performance that season helped show just how valuable a player could be when he was able to contribute in two completely different ways.He continued to raise the standard after that.Ohtani won another AL MVP Award in 2023, then joined the Los Angeles Dodgers and immediately entered another important chapter of his career.His first season in Los Angeles brought another MVP campaign. He became the National League MVP in 2024, making him the first player in MLB history to win the award in both leagues.The season also gave Ohtani something he had been chasing for years.The Dodgers won the World Series, giving him his first championship at the MLB level. It was a major addition to a résumé that already included individual awards and historic performances.Ohtani's list of accomplishments grew again in 2025.He won the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year award for the fourth time. That put him in elite company with LeBron James, Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong, who had also won the honor four times.The award was another sign of how Ohtani's influence had expanded beyond baseball.But his career has never been only about collecting awards.His 2023 World Baseball Classic run with Japan remains one of the defining moments of his career. Ohtani helped Japan win the tournament and was named its MVP.The final game produced one of the most memorable scenes of his career when he struck out his former Angels teammate Mike Trout to finish Japan's victory.For many players, one moment like that could define an entire career.For Ohtani, it became another chapter in a story that kept growing.Shohei Ohtani’s injuries and difficult returns have added some of the toughest moments to an otherwise remarkable journeyFor all the success Ohtani has enjoyed, his career has also included periods when he could not simply keep moving forward.The physical demands of being a two-way player have created challenges that most baseball players never have to face. Ohtani has had to deal with injuries, recovery periods and changes to his role while continuing to perform under enormous expectations.Those moments have made his journey more complicated.His return to pitching has required patience and careful planning, particularly because the Dodgers have to consider his value on both sides of the game.That balance is important.Ohtani is not simply a pitcher trying to return to the mound. He is also one of the most important hitters in the Dodgers' lineup. Protecting one part of his game can sometimes mean making difficult choices about the other.That reality has followed him through different stages of his career.Still, the setbacks have not changed the bigger picture.Ohtani has continued to find ways to move forward. Even when his path has been interrupted, he has returned with the same willingness to take on a challenge that helped make him a star in the first place.There is also another side of his career that numbers cannot fully explain.Ohtani has become a major figure for baseball fans in both the United States and Japan. His presence with the Dodgers has brought even more attention to the growing connection between Japanese baseball and MLB.He has also spoken about the fans who support him.After receiving his fourth AP Male Athlete of the Year award in 2025, Ohtani reflected on the people who watched him throughout the season and those who came to Dodger Stadium.He specifically mentioned the support he received alongside fellow Japanese players Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.Looking ahead to the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Ohtani again focused on what he could give the fans. He said he hoped to deliver performances that people could enjoy and described that as a way of giving back.That perspective adds another layer to his achievements.Ohtani has already won MVP awards, lifted a World Series trophy, helped Japan win the World Baseball Classic and earned recognition usually reserved for the biggest names across all of sports.Yet his story remains interesting because there is still more ahead.The setbacks have shown that even a player as extraordinary as Ohtani cannot control every part of his journey. But they have also made his accomplishments feel less like a straight line and more like the result of repeatedly finding a way forward.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.