How Shohei Ohtani helped Dodgers teammate’s mother battle cancer

When the Dodgers are on the field, Shohei Ohtani makes headlines with his base running, hitting and throwing. But off the field, his actions also resonate.

In a recent interview In Japanese media, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the story of the time the two-time World Series champion helped relief pitcher Gus Varland’s mother undergo cancer treatment by making a “very, very big contribution.”

“Shohei does a lot of great things, but a lot of what he does is done in silence, so people don’t talk about it,” he said.

Varland made seven relief appearances with the Dodgers during the 2024 season – including as a pitcher in the season-opening series in South Korea against the San Diego Padres – and posted a 4.50 ERA in six innings of work before being designated for assignment in July of that year.

Roberts said he ran into Varland’s mother during the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays because her brother, Louis, pitched for them. Roberts said the mother told him she was cancer free.

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, along with Barry Bonds, to win it more than three times.

Ohtani helped the Dodgers win their second straight World Series title after hitting 55 home runs with a .282 batting average and 2.87 ERA in 2025.