Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts to Appear in a Japanese TV Commercial in 2025

Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones and Bruce Willis are just some of the big-name Hollywood stars who have cashed in on their fame by appearing in TV commercials in Japan. Now another luminary from LA, Dave Roberts, will grace TV screens across Japan starting in early January of 2025.

The Los Angeles Dodgers manager will appear in a commercial for the Kinoshita Group Co, Ltd, a Japanese conglomerate that is a leader in a wide range of industries including housing, medical welfare, childcare sports and entertainment.

The timing for both Roberts and the Kinoshita Group couldn't be better.

Roberts is fresh off guiding Shohei Ohtani, Japan's most famous athlete, and his Los Angeles Dodgers to a World Series win over the New York Yankees in October.

As manager of Ohtani, whose prowess on the baseball field and matinee idol goods looks have made him a celebrity both at home and abroad, Roberts has endeared himself to Japanese baseball fans and the public at large.

Dave Roberts Shares Background on the Commercial

While many commercials in Japan that feature Hollywood stars have a slightly comedic element, the one Roberts will appear in deals with more weighty issues like motivation and communication.

"The crux [of the commercial] is basically talking about people; we need each other, people need each other and how we treat people allows them to reach their potential," Roberts said at a press conference on Wednesday, December 4 in Tokyo.

The commercial will feature scenes from Roberts' time spent in Okinawa as a youth. Roberts was born in Naha, Okinawa, in 1972 to a Japanese mother and an American father who served in the US Marine Corps.

It will also highlight Roberts' managerial expertise. Since taking over as manager of the Dodgers in 2015, the team has finished first in the NL West every season except 2021 and won the World Series in 2020 and 2024.

"Managing anything, I believe, is about people and how you can maximize a person's potential," Roberts said. "And this campaign goes along with that, it's about treating people with respect and sincerity."

Ohtani Thrived in His First Season with the Dodgers

For decades, the Dodgers have held a special place among Japanese baseball fans with stars like Hideo Nomo, Hiroki Kuroda and Kenta Maeda all having played for the team.

But their popularity went through the roof this year when Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million USD (around ¥100 billion JPY) deal with the team in December 2023 after six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.

In his first season in the National League, Ohtani exceeded expectations even though he was rehabilitating from right elbow surgery this season.

He achieved an unprecedented combination of 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases, becoming the first player in MLB history to reach 50 in both categories in the same season.

Ohtani's performance as a designated hitter in 2024 unanimously earned him the National League MVP Award. He became the 12th player in MLB history to win three MVPs and is the second player to win both the AL and NL MVP.

Roberts impressed fans back in Japan with how he deftly managed the team and the Japanese star who normally hits and bats but was limited to a DH role in 2024.

"I have 26 players and they are all different and I have to treat them differently," Roberts said. "But my job is to get them to reach their highest potential and that's why I just feel me and Kinoshita Group are perfectly aligned."

An Advocate for Mental Health

Roberts said the commercial also touches on the theme of mental health although it's not a main part of the ad.

He works with an organization in LA called Changing Tides, an organization that seeks to inspire greater mental health discussion with the Japanese and broader Asian-American community.

"Emotions in my culture, in the Japanese culture I grew up in weren't always shared and everything was always supposed to be OK and we didn't talk about how we truly felt," Roberts said. "So I do believe in mental health and sharing how you feel inside is really important."

Success as an MLB Player and Manager

As a player, Roberts is remembered mostly for a key stolen base as a member of the Boston Red Sox in Game 4 of the 2004 American League Championship Series against the rival New York Yankees.

Down 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, the stolen baseball keyed a Boston comeback and the team went on to win the game in 12 innings, beginning a run that culminated in the Red Sox winning their first World Series since 1918.

In an indication of just how popular he has become in Japan and especially in his native Okinawa, Roberts will travel to the island on Thursday to receive a Special Honor Award from the city of Naha.

"I'm excited for the honor," Roberts said. "I'm excited to see my family in Okinawa, my cousins, my aunts, my uncles and my friends. There are a lot of people that [have] supported me ever since I was born in 1972 so it will be an emotional and special time for me."