To say Shohei Ohtani has had an eventful first year with the Dodgers would be the biggest understatement.

After moving across town after six years with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani signed a ten-year contract worth a record $700 million (£558 million), agreeing to defer most of his salary so the Dodgers could strengthen elsewhere.

Before he had even made his debut, Ohtani caused a stir on social media in his native Japan by announcing that he was married, leading to weeks of speculation before he revealed his wife’s identity.

His longtime interpreter was fired by the Dodgers and arrested in connection with a multi-million dollar illegal gambling fraud, to which the interpreter has now pleaded guilty.

Back on the field, Ohtani’s dog Decoy “threw out” the ceremonial first pitch in a game against the Baltimore Orioles in August, but the dog on the mound was eclipsed in September when his master became the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season. The ’50-50 baseball’, whose ownership is disputed, was sold at auction earlier this week for $4.4 million (£3.39 million).

While part of Ohtani’s appeal comes from his rare status as a “two-way player,” who can play both as a hitter and a pitcher at the highest level, elbow surgery has kept him from pitching until 2024, but his hitting stats continue to impress to make.

And in his first postseason appearance, the sky is the limit for this undisputed global star.