Shohei Ohtani drops unexpected retirement hint: "The countdown to the end has begun"

Shohei Ohtani talked about his retirement plans and what he wishes to achieve before it. The Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way superstar took the mound for the first time following his last such appearance in 2023 with the LA Angels.

Ohtani has started his two-way journey with the Dodgers since arriving in December 2023. In an interview with watch manufacturer Seiko, he wants to give his 100% until the end and have no regrets.

“As a player, I think the countdown to the end has begun, so I have a little bit of a feeling, but I want to do it to the end. I want to spend time with the feeling that it is production from here.” “I have an image in the future and I am looking forward to where I want to be, so I think the scenery of the future is the most important thing for me,” Shohei Ohtani said (from 1:14).

Shohei Ohtani emphasized how important it's for him to have an idea of what he wants to do and what he wants to become. Eventually, it becomes the driving force, complemented by the willpower to see it through. For him, the ride to what he will become and to have a clear goal is something he most enjoys.

For him, “it’s all about balance”, which has helped him a lot in his MLB journey as he seeks a balance between personal and professional life.

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Shohei Ohtani set to make second mound appearance against Nationals

Ohtani [Source: Imagn]

Since the Los Angeles Dodgers' game against the San Diego Padres, Shohei Ohtani will take the mound for the second time when he faces the Washington Nationals on Sunday in the weekend series.

For the first two games, Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May will take the mound. Following his game vs. the Padres, Ohtani talked about his outing as a dual player:

“I’m not quite happy with the results overall, but I think the biggest takeaway for me is I feel good enough to make my next outing."

Despite a decent start to his pitching game, the Dodgers are carefully considering their options for Ohtani. It’s been a lengthy recovery process for the Japanese superstar, so they want to take things slowly.

Edited by Bhargav