Shohei Ohtani's Self-Assessment Doesn't Match Perception

Shohei Ohtani already was an international superstar at the time of signing a record-setting contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but his celebrity status since that point has further grown.

That didn't seem possible considering Ohtani's extensive sponsorship portfolio allowed for him to defer $680 million of a $700 million contract with the Dodgers. But as the Dodgers have won back-to-back World Series titles, the spotlight on the two-way superstar enlarged.

Although Ohtani is regarded as the most talented player in MLB history and has made significant contributions to the Dodgers' success on and off the field, he said during an appearance on "Access Hollywood" that he doesn't view himself any different from other players in franchise history.

"I don't think of it that way at all. Even from the first year I joined the Dodgers, you play for the name on the front of your jersey, not the name on the back of your jersey. I think our whole team plays that way.

"We're obviously playing for the team, so in that sense, I don't really think about myself in any sense that way. If I were to use a comparison for example, I don't look at Decoy like I'm his owner. We're friends. Me and Decoy are friends. We're family.

"I don't know if that would be a direct comparison, but that's kind of the way I view where I stand in the Dodgers organization. I'm just one of the guys. That's the way I look at myself."

Despite the humble perception of himself, the Dodgers clearly view Ohtani in a different light. Yes, the Guggenheim ownership group has made a concerted effort of fielding a competitive team on a yearly basis since taking control from Frank McCourt.

But their commitment has seemingly kicked into overdrive since signing Ohtani. Some of that stems from an agreement the two sides reached as part of Ohtani deferring so much of his salary. The proverbial flexibility--or present-day savings--has been reinvested into filling out the roster.

Shohei Ohtani not focused on Cy Young Award

This year marks Ohtani's first full season as a pitcher since undergoing the second Tommy John surgery of his career. The Dodgers plan to have the right-hander in their rotation on Opening Day despite his spring progression being slightly interrupted by the World Baseball Classic.

Given that Ohtani is back to being a full-fledge two-way player at the start of a season, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts suggested winning a Cy Young Award is on his list of possibilities in 2026.

But Ohtani pointed to a larger goal that would instead benefit the team first and foremost.

"If the end result is getting a Cy Young, that's great," he said through interpreter Will Ireton of possibly earning hardware after a full season of pitching.

"Getting a Cy Young means being able to throw more innings and pitch throughout the whole season, so if that's the end result, that's a good sign for me. What I'm more focused on is just being healthy the whole year."