"He is completely open to getting better in any way, shape or form" - Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts praises Shohei Ohtani's willingness to win

Shohei Ohtani is dazzling in his new Dodgers Blue uniform. In the 21 games, Ohtani has the most hits in the league with 31, including the doubles (10), and recorded 10 RBIs and four home runs with a slashing of .360/.400/.640, and maintained a 1.040 OPS along the way.

However, the two-time MVP doesn't want to stop there and is looking for ways to do better for the team. This work ethic impressed the Dodgers manager, Dave Roberts, who praised Ohtani on MLB Network Radio.

“I think the thing that's surprised me the most is his openness and willingness to get better,” said Roberts. “He is completely open to getting better in any way, shape or form, any part of the game. … He plays to win,” said Dave Roberts.

Ohtani’s willingness to do extra is nothing new. It first became visible when the young Shohei took a bold step to make himself a two-way player in MLB. At the time, which seemed impossible, later became Ohtani’s greatest asset.

Shohei Ohtani is playing his heart out for the LA Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani was named All-Star three times, won two Silver Slugger awards, and even won the MVP title twice, but one wish that he’s still chasing is a World Series ring. During his six-year tenure with the Los Angeles Angels, he never got the opportunity to play in the playoffs.

So when he became a free agent for the first, he made sure to join a team that had a high chance of qualifying, and the LA Dodgers seemed to fit his list well. During the negotiation, the Dodgers approached Ohtani with MLB’s most lucrative deal, a $700 million contract for 10 years.

With that signing, he joined the crew of fellow MVPs - Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts. Ohtani also agreed to defer his contract by nearly 97% to help the team add some of the top talents like Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernandez and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

It paid off well as the Dodgers are leading the NL West with a 12-9 record. Unfortunately, Ohtani will not pitch before 2025 due to elbow surgery last year, but that doesn’t exclude him from going the extra mile for the team. So far, he reached the base 55 times this season to help the Dodgers get early leads.

Starting Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers will face off against the New York Mets in a three-game series. Fans are eager to see Shohei Ohtani continue his MVP-caliber performance with his new team.