Japanese star Shohei Ohtani has had an incredible regular season in baseball over the past six months. Bobby Witt Jr., a talented 24-year-old, just won the American League batting title.
Both players have shown they are great at baseball. Now, they will face the challenge of October baseball.
“The mound is 60 feet, 6 inches away, first base is 90 feet away,” Witt said on Monday. “It’s the same game I’ve played since I was little, and so just go out there, enjoy every moment and take it all in.”
The Kansas City shortstop wants to keep his expectations in check as he prepares for the biggest games of his career, which is probably a wise approach.
However, everyone knows that October games are different. The action kicks off on Tuesday with the Tigers-Astros, Royals-Orioles, Mets-Brewers, and Braves-Padres beginning their best-of-three Wild Card Series.
The Yankees, Guardians, Dodgers, and Phillies have all received a bye until the Division Series starts on Saturday.
The pressure of the playoffs affects everyone—owners, fans, and players. Yankees slugger Juan Soto, Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander, and Mets first baseman Pete Alonso are among the free agents whose values could rise significantly with strong performances in the postseason.
Soto was named World Series MVP in 2019 when the Washington Nationals won their championship. If he performs well in the coming weeks, it could greatly increase his asking price this winter. The postseason is also a time when legacies are built.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is already among the most productive players in the team’s rich history. He hit 58 home runs this season, following a record-breaking 62 homers two years ago, and his powerful home runs are legendary.
But he doesn’t have a championship ring, and that’s what everyone expects in the Bronx. The Yankees haven’t won a title since 2009.
“I think there’s no question he’s one of the franchise’s greatest players,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “But he’s playing for (championships). That’s why he does this, not to rack up personal accolades. He embodies that. He lives that. I’m sure winning it all would add a level to his legacy.”
Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper is another great player of this generation who has never won a title. The two-time MVP led the Phillies to the World Series in 2022, earning MVP of the National League Championship Series along the way, but they lost to the Houston Astros for the title.
It’s one of the few missing pieces in his impressive career.
“We’ve just got to play Philly baseball and continue to play,” Harper said after his team clinched the NL East.
There’s no doubt that MLB is eager for a possible Ohtani vs. Judge matchup in the World Series. This is Ohtani’s first time in the postseason during his seven-year career. He almost won the National League Triple Crown this season, batting .310 with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, and 59 stolen bases. But all those stats reset to zero in October.
Those who can handle the pressure tend to shine. Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez was the World Series MVP in 2015 and hasn’t returned to the playoffs since. Now, a decade later, he’s excited to be back in fall baseball.
“Pressure? You get excited,” Perez said. “Maybe a little more in playoffs. … It’s just a game. You’re just competing and having fun and trying to do your best to help your team win. In playoffs, it’s a little more. I think these guys, they’re ready.”
