Shohei Ohtani Explains why Yoshinobu Yamamoto is 'Back to the Little Lion'

Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates with pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers held their annual DodgerFest event over the weekend, which saw more than two dozen players from the 40-man roster participate in the festivities at Dodger Stadium.

Among those on hand who drew the loudest cheers were Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Miguel Rojas, Roki Sasaki and Blake Snell.

DodgerFest serves as an unofficial start of the new season, as several players often head from the event to Camelback Ranch to begin reporting early for Spring Training.

Thus, it offered a final opportunity of sorts for the Dodgers to celebrate their 2025 World Series win and look ahead to a potential three-peat. But while several contributors from last year's team were on hand, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was not among them.

That gave Ohtani an opportunity to poke fun at his fellow countrymen during an on-stage interview with Dodgers broadcasters Joe Davis and Stephen Nelson.

Ohtani was asked by Nelson that given his heroic performance against the Toronto Blue Jays, if Yamamoto had grown from a baby lion to an adult one.

"He became an adult lion, but the fact that he didn't show up today, I think he's back to the little lion," Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton.

Yamamoto's development into a proverbial adult lion came last year as the right-hander pitched his way to becoming the 2025 World Series MVP.

Though, Yamamoto's impressive October run began with 6.2 scoreless innings against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series. He later threw a complete game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Championship Series and turned in a gem with the Dodgers facing elimination in the World Series.

Then in Game 7, Yamamoto improbably pitched 2.2 innings out of the bullpen on zero days of rest to earn the win as the Dodgers outlasted the Blue Jays.

"It's unheard of, and I think that there's a mind component, there's a delivery, which is a flawless delivery, and there's just an unwavering will," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the win.

"I just haven't seen it. I really haven't. You know, all that combined. There's certain players that want moments and there's certain players that want it for the right reasons. Yoshi is a guy that I just completely implicitly trust and he's made me a pretty dang good manager."

When did Shohei Ohtani post about Yoshinobu Yamamoto as a lion?

The question was in reference to Ohtani posting a picture during the 2024 World Series of Yamamoto's jubilant reaction along with a baby lion attempting to let out a ferocious rawr.