Dodgers Interview: Ohtani, Sasaki hold court at DodgerFest

LOS ANGELES — Dodger Stadium felt like it had a pulse again on January 31, 2026. Even in the middle of winter, you could hear it in the stands at DodgerFest, where fans showed up loud and ready to “turn the page” to a new season.

That energy came through in a joint interview with Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki, conducted by Joe Davis and Stephen Nelson. It was part reflection, part scouting report, part clubhouse vibe check, with both Japanese stars sounding equal parts grateful and hungry for what’s next with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ohtani: a slow exhale after a sprint

When Ohtani was asked how his season felt looking back, he didn’t try to make it bigger than it needed to be. He described the offseason as the first real chance to breathe.

“I was able to take my time and reflect on the season,” he said. “I could spend the offseason at a slower pace.” And then came the line that sounded like pure Ohtani, the daily-process guy who never seems satisfied: “I’m growing day by day, so it was fun. I enjoyed that every day.”

There was also a lighter moment when he was asked about fatherhood, framed in a playful “as a dad” kind of way. Ohtani smiled through it and basically said his “strength” might be that he sets the bar high.

“I guess I can lift her pretty high,” he said about his young daughter, “so maybe that’s fun for her.” When asked about weaknesses, he dodged like a veteran, saying that his wife Mamiko would be the final authority on that question. “I don’t know,” he said with a sheepish grin. “You’d have to ask her.”

It was a reminder that Ohtani can carry the weight of a franchise and still sound like a normal human when the conversation turns personal.

Sasaki: the debut was nerves, but the postseason was a rush

Sasaki’s answers had that calm, clipped honesty you hear from pitchers who live inside routines. Looking back on last year, he admitted it didn’t always go the way he hoped.

“There were a lot of things that didn’t go the way I wanted during the season,” he said. “But in the postseason, even if it was just a little, I’m glad I could help the team.”

Then came a fun question from the broadcast crew: which was more nerve-wracking, his debut or coming out in the postseason to protect a lead?

His answer was instant: “The postseason was easier.”

That got a follow-up, because of course it did. Was he really not thinking much about the debut?

“I did have nerves,” Sasaki said, “but more than that, the joy of competing was stronger.”

That’s the kind of line pitchers say when they’re wired for the moment. Not fearless, exactly. More like they can feel nerves and still choose to attack.

A birthday, a holiday, and a once-in-a-lifetime kind of day

At one point, Sasaki was asked about his birthday lining up with a special baseball experience, the Dodgers 2025 victory parade on November 3 of last year. He explained that back in Japan his birthday is a holiday, so he’s not used to people making a big deal out of it. But this time, it landed differently.

“In Japan, my birthday is a holiday (Japanese Culture Day), so people don’t really say much,” he said. “But this was the first time I got to have such an amazing experience on my birthday, and it made me really happy.”

Ohtani on the last two years: joy, then the gut-punch moment

Ohtani was also asked to sum up the last two seasons and pick out a moment that stands above the rest. He didn’t hesitate on the happiness part.

“Winning the World Series the first time was unbelievably joyful,” he said. “Last year was joyful too.”

His 2024 experience was of course, tempered by the fact that he dislocated his shoulder trying to steal a base in Game 2 of the series and was diminished for the rest of the games.

“There was that feeling of disappointment,” he said, describing the trip to the hospital. Then he added, almost like he was trying to lighten the room again: “But I was joking around, like, ‘I’m fine.’”

It was Ohtani in a nutshell. Acknowledging the sting, then trying to take the pressure off everyone else.

Food, routines, and the most relatable Ohtani answer of the day

Somebody asked about game-day meals and whether there’s something he has to eat as part of a routine. Ohtani said he doesn’t really have a must-have food, but he did admit something that will make every nutrition-minded fan cringe.

“I don’t really have one,” he said, “but on game days I don’t eat much… rice.”

Then, because the clubhouse always gets dragged into these answers, Ohtani pointed a finger at a teammate in the funniest possible way:

“I think Yoshi eats the most onigiri.”

That’s the absent Yoshinobu Yamamoto catching a stray for being the clubhouse onigiri champion, which is exactly the kind of winter-event detail fans love. In fact, Shohei decided to demote Yamamoto for his skipping out on the fast. When Stephen Nelson asked him if Yama’s epic World Series gave him a promotion from “baby Simba” to an adult lion, Shohei reacted with a wry smile. “After last year, I thought he was an adult lion, but (due to) the fact that he didn’t show up today, he’s back to a little lion.”

Sasaki on the splitter: “I just kind of tried it”

Pitchers are usually cagey about grips, but Sasaki answered a splitter question with the kind of shrug that makes you think he’s been gifted this pitch since he was a teenager.

“In high school,” he said, “I just kind of tried throwing it. I wasn’t formally taught or anything, but I learned it that way.”

Some guys talk about a pitch like it’s a science project. Sasaki made it sound like he picked it up the way you learn a new song on guitar. Try it enough times, and eventually it’s yours.

There was also a question about what he’s adding or developing. Sasaki said he’s been working on a cutter and a two-seamer since last year, kept at it during the offseason, and wants to sharpen everything once camp starts.

“I’ve been practicing the cutter and the two-seam since last year,” he said. “I practiced in the offseason too, and I want to refine them even more in camp.”

When asked what feels different heading into this spring compared with last year, Sasaki sounded more settled.

“I understand the flow now,” he said. “And I’ve gotten to know my teammates more than I had before camp last year, so I think I can enter camp without feeling as nervous.”

Then he laid out the goal in the cleanest pitcher language possible:

“First, I want to be in the rotation,” he said. “And I want to pitch through the season. Personally, my goal is to stay healthy and keep taking the mound all year.”

The highlights they’ll carry into 2026

The interview ended up circling back to memories, and both guys picked out moments that show you how they see the game.

Ohtani talked about a key homer he watched from behind, describing that feeling every fan knows, where you’re half praying and half willing the ball to carry.

“I was watching from behind,” he said, “so it felt even more special… that moment of ‘go, go, go’ in your heart.”

Sasaki went in a different direction, picking out the moment that sealed it all.

“The most memorable for me,” he said, “was Yoshi in Game 7, closing it out and deciding the championship.”

However you remember that run, you can hear what matters to them: the moments when the season tightens into one pitch, one swing, one last out.

DodgerFest is always part celebration, part tease for what’s coming. But hearing Ohtani talk about daily growth and Sasaki talk about settling in, sharpening pitches, and chasing a full season in the rotation, it’s hard not to feel that familiar buzz again. Spring training is close. The stadium already knows it.

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