It started as a quiet pregame morning inside the Dodgers clubhouse.
Then Shohei Ohtani made sure everyone felt the moment.
Ahead of Opening Day against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ohtani surprised teammates and staff with a Seiko watch valued at about $4,000.
Along with it came a short, handwritten note that read “Let’s get a three-peat.”
The detail, first reported by The Orange County Register and later confirmed by ESPN, quickly spread beyond the clubhouse.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also added a personal touch, gifting bottles of Traveller whiskey as part of the team’s Opening Day tradition.
A gesture that meant more than it looked
On the surface, the gift connects naturally to Ohtani’s partnership with Seiko. But inside the room, it landed differently.
Miguel Rojas shared that he plans to keep the watch for the rest of his life, describing it as something far more meaningful than its price tag. For him and others, it became a reminder of who Ohtani is as a teammate, not just as a player.
That distinction matters in a clubhouse like this one. The Dodgers already know what it takes to win. What they are trying to do now is sustain it.
The Dodgers’ mindset heading into 2026
The goal inside Los Angeles is not subtle. The team is chasing a third consecutive World Series title, something rarely achieved in today’s MLB landscape.
That alone shifts the pressure compared to previous seasons. In earlier years, the conversation centered on getting over the final hurdle. Now, it is about staying there.
Ohtani sits right at the center of that shift. Entering 2026, he is expected to be fully active again as a two-way player, contributing both on the mound and at the plate. Analysts across MLB coverage have pointed out that this version of Ohtani changes the balance of any roster he is on.
When he is healthy, the Dodgers are not just contenders. They become a benchmark.
Around the league, attention is already there
Teams across the league are watching closely. The Dodgers are no longer just another strong roster. They are the team others measure themselves against.
Ohtani’s gesture fits into that bigger picture. It reflects a clubhouse that understands what is in front of them and is choosing to lean into it together.
Opening Day does not define a season. But moments like this can shape how it begins. And in Los Angeles, the message has already been delivered.
Sources: The Orange County Register (Bill Plunkett), ESPN (Alden Gonzalez), and publicly available MLB coverage. Information has been compiled and verified for accuracy.
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