L.A. Story: Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and a Season for the Ages

The definitive portrait of Shohei Ohtani’s momentous debut season in Dodger blue

Baseball has never seen a player like Shohei Ohtani. After six seasons establishing himself as a once-in-a-century two-way star but making zero playoff appearances, Ohtani’s record-shattering ＄700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers paired the sport’s most prominent global celebrity with one of it’s crown-jewel franchises, located in the entertainment capital of the world.

＂You might have played with other teams -- that’s the big leagues,＂ Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda used to say about his beloved team. ＂But when you come to the Dodgers, it’s the major leagues.＂

L.A. Story is a multifaceted, insider’s portrait of a debut season for the ages. Veteran baseball scribe Bill Plunkett deftly captures the phenomenon of baseball’s ＂unicorn＂, with storylines including Ohtani’s offensive explosion while recovering from Tommy John surgery, his first flirtations with postseason glory, and the gambling scandal involving his longtime interpreter and close friend that nearly upended everything before he could take his first at-bat at Dodger Stadium.

Built on daily reporting and conversations, this is an insightful, intriguing ride for Dodgers fans and keen baseball observers.

Bill Plunkett covers the Dodgers beat for the Orange County Register, and has written about baseball in Southern California for nearly 25 years, including a separate stint on the Angels beat. His work has appeared in Baseball America and Baseball Digest, and, and he is a frequent guest on MLB Network, ESPN, and SportsNet LA.