Shohei Ohtani Wins NLCS MVP After Historic Game 4 as Dodgers Clinch World Series Spot

Shohei Ohtani was named NLCS MVP after helping the Los Angeles Dodgers clinch a spot in the 2025 World Series with arguably the most dominant performance in MLB postseason history.

Ohtani pitched six shutout innings and hit three home runs Friday night as the Dodgers clinched an NLCS sweep with a 5-1 Game 4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Dodgers will now advance to face either the Seattle Mariners or the Toronto Blue Jays for a second straight title. The Mariners took a 3-2 ALCS series lead on Friday night.

Ohtani started out the night by striking out three straight batters in the top of the first. Two of those strikeouts came on pitches that clocked in at over 100 miles per hour.

The two-way star returned in the bottom of the frame to hit a 446-foot lead-off homer.

After allowing just one hit through his first four innings on the mound, Ohtani smashed his second home run to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth.

This one went 469 feet and over the right field pavilion at Dodger Stadium.

Ohtani allowed a walk and a single in the top of the seventh before he was replaced by Alex Vesia, who stranded both runners.

In the bottom of the frame, Ohtani recorded his third home run of the night with a 427-foot hit that earned the Dodgers their fifth run of the game.

Ohtani closed out the game having thrown 66 strikes and recorded 10 strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched. He allowed two hits and three walks while holding the Brewers without a run.

As the Dodgers' designated hitter, Ohtani went 3-for-3 at the plate with one walk and three home runs.

No other player in MLB history has ever hit multiple postseason home runs while pitching in the same game, per ESPN Insights.

The Dodger are now back in the World Series thanks to an outing that will go down in sports history as one of the best individual single-game playoff performances ever recorded.