From a corner of the clubhouse, Dodgers owners Mark Walter and Todd Boehly smiled as they watched the chaos unfold in the room.

In front of them, Shohei Ohtani closed his eyes as manager Dave Roberts drank a beer on his head. Soon, Ohtani and Roberts were hopping up and down together on the alcohol-soaked carpet, as Roberts threw his head back and Ohtani poured Budweiser into his open mouth.

While holding a beer himself, Walter said of Ohtani, “I’m so happy we were able to talk him out of never going to the playoffs again and going to the World Series.”

The Dodgers advanced to play the New York Yankees in the World Series with a 10–5 victory over the opposing New York team in Game 6 in the National League Championship Series.

Ohtani is going to play in a World Series.

“Finally,” Ohtani said in Japanese.

Walter reflected on his team’s negotiations over the winter with Ohtani, who was a free agent with the downtrodden Angels after six seasons. Walter thought about the time Ohtani suggested the team pay him just $2 million per season and defer the rest of his $70 million annual salary.

“That was what Shohei did to help us make sure we put the best team on the field around him,” Walter said. “I felt we owed it to him to do the best we could and get him there.”

Ohtani will receive $20 million over the 10-year contract period. He will receive the remaining $680 million over the next ten years.

“He wants to be the greatest baseball player in the history of the world,” Boehly said. “How do you do that? You win the World Series. And how do you win the World Series? You help figure out how we can make the club so much better. He made the club much better when he made that decision.”

Ohtani essentially handed the Dodgers a blank check to strengthen their roster. The Dodgers made some questionable investments, especially with injury-prone Tyler Glasnow, who was shut down before the postseason. But they also made some cheaper commitments that helped put Ohtani on the stage he had dreamed of playing since his youth in the northern part of mainland Japan.

The Dodgers signed outfielder Teoscar Hernández, who has driven in eight runs in these playoffs. They signed Ryan Brasier, who became a key member of their trusted bullpen. At the trade deadline, they were able to absorb the salaries of Jack Flaherty, Michael Kopech and Tommy Edman. Flaherty became their most trusted starting pitcher and Kopech their most reliable reliever. Edman drove in 11 runs in the NLCS and was the most valuable player of the series.

“I was hoping this would happen,” Ohtani said.

Ohtani wasn’t just along for the ride. He hit .364 in the NLCS. He homered in two of his team’s wins. He walked nine and was on base in more than half of his at-bats. He drove in six runs and scored another nine.

For Game 6, he changed his walk-up song from Lupe Fiasco’s “Show Goes On” to Michael Bublé’s “Feeling Good”. Bublé’s song was featured in a popular Japanese movie.

When asked what inspired the change in music, Ohtani replied: “Nothing special. I chose it because the feeling was good.”

The Dodgers trailed by one run when Ohtani stepped into the batter’s box for the first time. On the mound was Mets left-hander Sean Manaea, against whom Ohtani was 0 for three with two strikeouts in a Game 2 loss.

Ohtani singled to center and advanced to third base on a hit by Teoscar Hernández. Ohtani and Hernández scored on a double by Edman, giving the Dodgers the lead, 2-1.

Ohtani drove in a run in the sixth inning with a single up the middle against right-hander Ryne Stanek, extending his team’s lead to 7-3. He is hitting .667 (six for nine) in the postseason with runners in scoring position.

He walked and scored in the Dodgers’ three-run eighth inning, putting the game out of the Mets’ reach.

His reward was another booze-fueled locker room party – or, as the Japanese call it, a champagne fight.

“I think it’s really good no matter how many times I do it,” Ohtani said. “I would like to end this year one more time.”

His next opponent will be the New York Yankees, for whom one of his childhood heroes played. Ohtani was in high school when Hideki Matsui was the MVP of the 2009 World Series.

“I watched the highlights a bunch of times,” Ohtani said.

Now Ohtani will take his turn playing in the championship series of the world’s most competitive baseball league. His blank check is about to be cashed.