"They need a lot of people around them" - Miguel Rojas highlights attribute separating Shohei Ohtani from "needy" stars

There was never any doubt surrounding Shohei Ohtani's MLB stardom and a blockbuster move to the LA Dodgers in free agency, followed by an unprecedented 50-50 season has pushed him into the upper echelon of the game's history.

Despite his elite two-way ability, something that has gone extinct in modern baseball, Shohei Ohtani remains as humble as ever. His Dodgers teammate Miguel Rojas shared how the Japanese star was different from the other stars he has shared the clubhouse with, drawing a stark comparison.

He said:

"I’ve played with other stars in the game that are different, and they’re needy. At some point, they need a lot of people around them, because they’re superstars. They can’t live a regular life, like any other players that can actually go out and do stuff. "

Rojos implied that instead of being needy or seeking attention from his teammates, the clubhouse is an escape from all the fanfare.

"But to me, this place, for Shohei, is kind of a getaway from a lot of things.”

Rojas continued:

“He’s always laughing, he’s into getting to know his teammates. [He’s] interested in what you like, and expressing what he likes as well. He’s a pretty normal, down-to-earth guy.”

Roajs' words echo the sentiment of the fans who believe the Japanese superstar is one of the most humble players in the league despite his remarkable talent.

Max Muncy sheds light on Shohei Ohtani's jovial nature around his Dodgers teammates

Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy shared another aspect of Shohei Ohtani's personality that is unusual for a player of his stature.

Muncy said:

"He doesn’t like to take things too seriously, he likes to have fun. He’s always smiling, always trying to joke around. You definitely would have no idea he’s the guy that he is – if you knew nothing about baseball, and you’d never seen him before – you wouldn’t think that he was a big deal with how he acts.”

Muncy's comment paints a contrasting image of Ohtani, one of the most feared sluggers on the diamond in MLB's recent history.

Shohei Ohtani is gearing up for the first postseason appearance of his MLB career after his team clinched the NL West title for the 12th time in 13 years by defeating the San Diego Padres last week.

Interestingly, the Dodgers start their 2024 postseason journey against the Padres in the NLDS starting on Saturday.