Nippon-Ham Fighters Chief Baseball Officer Kuriyama congratulates Ohtani on his third consecutive MVP award: “He’s back to his roots as a two-way player. He’s finally back to his roots.” | Pacific League

Nippon-Ham CBO Kuriyama congratulates Ohtani on his third consecutive MVP award, saying, “He’s back to being a two-way player and has finally returned to his true essence.”

Sports Hochi

2025.11.14(金) 15:35

On the 14th, Nippon-Ham Chief Baseball Officer Hideki Kuriyama congratulated his former student from his time with the Nippon-Ham Fighters, Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers, on winning the MVP award for the third consecutive year. Speaking to reporters at the team’s second-division facility in Kamagaya, Chiba, he expressed his joy at Ohtani’s two-way MVP win, saying, “I feel like he’s finally taken the first step. This time he was in the middle of it, but he’s finally returned to his true essence. He won the MVP after returning to his two-way role, so he didn’t win many games or contribute much as pitcher, but that’s just his normal. He’s back to normal. It’s only because of Shohei Ohtani’s two-way role that so many people are happy and fans recognize him.”

He is expected to excel both as a pitcher and a batter throughout next season. “Starting next year, I’ll be able to play my own baseball in the truest sense without worrying about all the unnecessary things. What will Shohei Ohtani’s true nature show in the majors? The kids who watched Shohei are about to enter the professional league. In that sense, I really believe in the future of baseball, and I’m looking forward to it. I feel like things are heading in that direction, and I feel like we’re finally reaching a point where we can take a break,” he said, imagining the future of baseball.

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