When the Dodgers are on the field, Shohei Ohtani dominates the headlines with his base running, his slugging and his pitching. But off the field, his actions also resonate.
In a recent interview with Japanese media, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told a story of when the two-time World Series champion helped relief pitcher Gus Varland’s mother get cancer treatment by making a “very, very big contribution.”
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“Shohei does a lot of great things, but a lot of what he does is on the down low, quiet, so people don’t talk about it,” he said.
Varland made seven relief appearances with the Dodgers during the 2024 season — including pitching in the season-opening series in South Korea against the San Diego Padres — and posted a 4.50 earned run average in six innings of work before he was designated for assignment in July of that year.
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Roberts said he ran into Varland’s mother during the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays because his brother, Louis, pitched for them. Roberts said the mother told him she was cancer free.
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After spending his first six major league seasons with the Angels, Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers. In November, he won his fourth MVP award in five seasons, becoming the only player besides Barry Bonds to win it more than three times.
Ohtani helped the Dodgers win their second consecutive World Series title after hitting 55 homers with a batting average of .282 and an ERA of 2.87 in 2025.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
