Magic Johnson joined the Fox pregame show before Game 4 of the World Series Tuesday night to talk about Shohei Ohtani on the heels of Monday’s 18-inning Game 3 epic at Dodger stadium.
The Los Angeles Lakers great and part-owner of the Dodgers sang the praises of Ohtani and offered a candid and not-inaccurate assessment of the crosstown Los Angeles Angels, for whom Ohtani used to play.
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Here’s what Johnson said when asked what makes Ohtani so special ahead of his Game 4 start on the mound after Tuesday’s game in which Ohtani reached base an astonishing nine times.
“He’s the hardest worker on the Dodger team and probably in baseball,” Johnson said. “He cares about his body. He takes care of himself. He’s intense about playing the game the right way.
“He came here to win. He had been losing all those years with the Angels. He wanted to win and play in the World Series. And he’s been able to do that and do it quite well.”
Magic Johnson, big Shohei Ohtani fan.
(Rob Tringali via Getty Images)
He had been losing all of those years with the Angels.
This is undeniably true. Ohtani joined MLB with an Angels team that already featured a multi-time MVP in Mike Trout with the hopes of elevating them into contention. In his six seasons with the Angels, they produced zero playoff appearances and zero seasons with a winning record.
The Angels finished no better than third place in the AL West during his tenure with the team. And they did that just once.
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So yeah. Magic’s not wrong. Ohtani did a lot of losing with the Angels. And when the Dodgers came calling with riches that the Angels wouldn’t offer and the promise of competing on baseball’s highest stage, he made the crosstown move ahead of the 2024 season.
Ohtani’s since won his third MVP and will almost certainly add a fourth. And he’s competing for his second World Series championship in two seasons since joining the Dodgers. Everything’s coming up Shohei — and Dodgers.
It is just not common to hear a part-owner of a professional franchise speaking so bluntly about the misfortunes of another. It’s even more jarring considering that the Angels reside just a short trip down the 5 freeway from the Dodgers — depending on L.A. traffic, of course.
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But Johnson is not your average franchise stakeholder. He’s a five-time NBA champion and three-time MVP and one of the few on a long list of Los Angeles sports greats to rival Ohtani’s star power.
He’s a competitor through and through. And he’s not afraid to call it how he sees it regarding the losers down the street.