Ohtani grew up watching the former Nippon Ham Fighters’ ace as a kid before embarking on his journey in professional baseball. On Sunday, when Darvish last pitched against LA, Ohtani described the pitcher as his “childhood hero” and said he’d hoped to see him and Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitch against one another.

Playing in his first MLB postseason, the Dodgers' superstar is embracing the big moments and letting his emotions out.

Game 5 of the National League Division Series has all the pre-set narratives of a classic: bitter rivals, superstar players and managers who can’t wait to get to their bullpens. The winner gets to play the New York Mets in a coast-to-coast National League Championship Series.