Shohei Ohtani’s Dad Toru Shares Proud Message After Back-to-Back Titles 🏆

Every now and then, a story comes along that reminds us why we love sharing feel-good moments—and this one is a home run straight to the heart.

After Shohei Ohtani made history by winning back-to-back World Series titles, fans everywhere were buzzing with excitement. But it was a touching message from his father, Toru Ohtani, that truly captured hearts. Shared in Japan’s Sports Nippon newsletter—and later discovered by fans on a Reddit feed—Toru’s words offer a rare, tender glimpse into the family life of baseball’s brightest star.

In his translated letter, Toru begins with a proud and humble congratulations:

“Congratulations Shohei, on winning the World Series for the second straight year! I honestly thought it would be fine if your full return as a pitcher came next season, but I never imagined you'd be throwing this well toward the end of the season.”

He continues with what every parent can relate to—the mix of pride and worry that comes from watching your child shine so brightly on the world stage. He admits that while Shohei’s mom cheers loudly for every home run, Toru himself can’t quite relax:

“When you're batting, we can relax and enjoy the game, but when you're pitching... we've never been able to stay calm, even since you were a kid.”

Even after Shohei’s three-home-run, ten-strikeout masterpiece in the NLCS, his dad admits he’s still the classic “coach parent,” saying things like, “That was a high fastball out of the zone—you shouldn’t have swung at that.”

Beyond baseball, Toru shares a sweet personal memory—meeting his grandchild for the first time at the ballpark during an August visit to Los Angeles. His words radiate simple joy:

“She’s adorable, and I’m really looking forward to watching her grow up.”

As he looks toward the future, Toru’s hopes for Shohei are as grounded as they are heartfelt. He knows the day will come when Shohei may have to focus on either pitching or hitting—but his wish is beautifully simple:

“Stay healthy, stay injury-free, and keep playing baseball the way you want to play it until the very end. That alone is enough for me.”

It’s a message filled with love, humility, and the kind of quiet pride only a parent can express. While the rest of the world sees Shohei Ohtani as a once-in-a-generation athlete, his dad still sees the kid he once coached—one who loves the game deeply and plays it his own way.

And maybe that’s what makes this letter so special. It’s not just about trophies or records. It’s about family, gratitude, and the timeless joy of watching someone you love do what they were born to do. ❤️⚾

At KOST 103.5, we love stories like this—moments that remind us to celebrate the people who cheer us on the loudest, love us the longest, and believe in us no matter how big the game gets. 💕

Here is the full letter translated:

Congratulations Shohei, on winning the World Series for the second straight year!

I honestly thought it would be fine if your full return as a pitcher came next season, but I never imagined you'd be throwing this well toward the end of the season. More than anything, I'm just happy that you stayed healthy through the entire year.

In Game 4 of the NLCS against the Brewers on October 17, you hit three home runs and struck out ten batters as a pitcher, earning the series MVP.

Like you said after the game-it really did feel too perfect. Once you pull off something like that, everyone starts expecting you to do it again, and as your parent, that makes me both proud and a little worried. I can't help but feel it's a bit tough on you, too.

To be honest, my wife Kayoko and I don't watch your pitching appearances live. We record them and watch later at home in the evening.

When you're batting, we can relax and enjoy the game, but when you're pitching-since the outcome depends so much on it-we've never been able to stay calm, even since you were a kid. When you hit a home run, your mother says, "That was great! Well done," but I always end up saying something like, "That was a high fastball out of the zone-you shouldn't have swung at that." Even when the result is good, I just can't stop worrying first.

We couldn't make it to any postseason games this year due to scheduling conflicts, but in August, I took the kids from the Kanegasaki Little Senior team I coach to Los Angeles.

That's when I got to see you and Mamiko, and for the first time, I was able to hold my grandchild at the ballpark. It made me so happy. I remember saying, "Wow, she's big!" She's adorable, and I'm really looking forward to watching her grow up.

You're 31 years old now, right in your prime as a baseball player. I know the time will come when you'll have to focus on either pitching or hitting.

If you can't pitch anymore, playing in the outfield would be just fine-you'd make it work with enough practice.

And someday, maybe you could even aim to be a major league manager. It wouldn't be a bad path. After retirement, I hope you'll stay connected to baseball, like Ichiro-san has, and pass something on to the next generation. But as your father, my wish is simple: stay healthy, stay injury-free, and keep playing baseball the way you want to play it until the very end. That alone is enough for me. We'll always be cheering for you. Keep it up, Shohei!