Ohtani's Gift to Dodgers Fuels Three-Peat Ambitions

Dodgers players receive custom watches from Ohtani with a message to 'three-peat' as the team opens season with dominant series win.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 1:06pm

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A cubist, geometric painting featuring overlapping planes of Dodger blue, red, and white, capturing the energy and movement of a Dodgers baseball game or celebration in an abstract, deconstructed style.Shohei Ohtani's gift to his Dodgers teammates symbolizes the team's lofty ambitions as they chase an unprecedented three-peat.Los Angeles Today

Los Angeles Dodgers players were gifted custom watches from star player Shohei Ohtani, accompanied by a note urging the team to 'three-peat' as the defending World Series champions. The Dodgers opened their season with a dominant series sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks, led by strong performances from Will Smith and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, showcasing the team's offensive firepower and pitching depth as they chase an unprecedented third straight championship.

Why it matters

The Dodgers are the heavy favorites to win their fifth consecutive NL West title and third straight World Series, putting immense pressure on the team to cement their legacy as one of the greatest dynasties in MLB history. Ohtani's gesture and message to 'three-peat' underscores the high stakes and lofty ambitions driving the Dodgers this season.

The details

In the Dodgers' opening series, Ohtani was intentionally walked four times in 13 plate appearances, as opposing teams opted to avoid the two-way superstar. This allowed other Dodgers stars like Will Smith and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to shine, with Smith hitting two home runs and Yamamoto tossing six strong innings. The only blemish was a shaky outing from pitcher Emmet Sheehan, whose velocity issues from spring training persisted.

  • The Dodgers received the watches from Ohtani on March 26, 2026, prior to the start of the season.
  • The Dodgers swept the Diamondbacks in their opening series from March 30 to April 2, 2026.

The players

Shohei Ohtani

A two-way superstar who plays both pitcher and designated hitter for the Dodgers, Ohtani gifted his teammates custom watches with a message to 'three-peat' as the team chases its third straight World Series title.

Will Smith

The Dodgers' star catcher, Smith hit two home runs in the opening series against the Diamondbacks as the team's offense flexed its muscles.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

The Dodgers' starting pitcher, Yamamoto tossed six strong innings in the opening series, continuing his dominant postseason performance from 2025.

Emmet Sheehan

A young Dodgers pitcher whose velocity issues from spring training persisted in his opening start, raising concerns about his readiness to contribute to the team's title defense.

Miguel Rojas

The Dodgers' veteran infielder, who revealed that Ohtani had gifted the team the custom watches with the 'three-peat' message.

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What they’re saying

“Let's three-peat.”

— Shohei Ohtani

What’s next

The Dodgers will look to continue their strong start as they face the San Diego Padres in a highly anticipated NL West showdown from April 4-6.

The takeaway

Shohei Ohtani's gesture of gifting his Dodgers teammates custom watches with a message to 'three-peat' underscores the immense pressure and high stakes the team faces this season as they chase an unprecedented third straight World Series title. The Dodgers have the talent and depth to achieve this historic feat, but must navigate the weight of expectations and intense scrutiny that comes with being the clear favorites.