Better than Babe Ruth? Ohtani’s exploits make the superstar a legend, even among his MLB peers
If baseball fans are lucky, The Greatness of Shohei Ohtani in the batter’s box and perhaps even on the pitcher’s mound could be on display for at least another decade.
But in the minds of many, the 30-year-old is already on the list of all-time legends of the sport.
The Japanese superstar added to his absurd feats on Thursday, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to have 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a seasonHe accomplished both goals in a big way, with his first three-homer game, his first six-hit game and a franchise and career-high 10 RBIs in Miami.
“There’s certainly an argument that could be made that he’s better than Babe Ruth,” Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo said Friday. “Everybody always talks about Babe Ruth and him being one of the greatest, if not the greatest, baseball players of all time.
“I think we’re playing with the modern-day Babe Ruth here.”
Ohtani is in just his eighth major league season after playing five years in Japan, but it’s fair to wonder if he’s already etched a plaque in Cooperstown.
He is the heavy favorite to win his third Most Valuable Player Award this season, according to BetMGM.
“I think his pace and his potential are making him one of the best players of his career,” Astros outfielder Jason Heyward said. “Obviously, we all know he’s got to keep playing and finish his career, but I think he’s got the potential to do a lot more special things and put up numbers that, you know, we’ll look at home one day and say we don’t know if anybody’s going to do that.”
Ohtani could add to his legend in the coming weeks when he makes his playoff debut. His Los Angeles Dodgers advanced to October baseball with Thursday’s win and will be among the favorites to win the World Series. There’s even a slim chance he could return to the mound during the playoffs after offseason elbow surgery.
“We leave it to others to decide who the greatest of all time are, but there’s no denying that what we’re looking at is incredibly special,” said Josh Rawitch, president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. “People are excited about what they’re seeing, and that’s understandable.”
It was around this time last season that Ohtani’s career took a major turn. The two-way star had a phenomenal season for the Los Angeles Angels at the plate and on the mound. when he suffered a torn ligament in his pitching elbow on August 23. That led to the second major surgery on his pitching elbow.
But the big-spending Dodgers weren’t deterred by the injury in free agency, signing Ohtani on a 10-year, $700 million contract It was by far the richest in MLB history.
It’s safe to say it’s been worth it so far.
Able to focus solely on hitting, Ohtani produced arguably his best offensive season. He hit .294 with 51 home runs and 120 RBIs while stealing 51 bases and getting caught just four times.
Some, like Angels manager Ron Washington and Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck, have said they’ll wait until after their careers to weigh in on Ohtani’s Cooperstown credentials. But there’s no doubt he’s on the right track.
“I like to look at his career in its entirety,” Houck said. “But the steps he’s taken so far and a historic season like this make him the best player around.”
Washington said: “Let’s let his career develop and we’ll see where his numbers are. If he stays healthy and is able to play as long as he wants to, he’ll definitely be considered for the Hall of Fame.”
Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker competes with Ohtani in the National League West and said it’s easy to respect a guy who works so hard.
“He seems to do things the right way,” Walker said. “And in the spotlight, it’s equally impressive to keep his head down and continue to execute at the level that you expect him to execute at. Huge market. Huge spotlight. And to be as consistent as he is, it’s impressive.”
Astros pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who is also Japanese, said Ohtani has already established himself as one of the best.
“He’s probably on the verge of winning his third MVP award and he’s done things that no other player has done, being a two-way player and doing the 50/50,” Kikuchi said through an interpreter. “So it’s hard for me to judge, but I think he’s probably Hall of Fame qualified.”
For baseball fans who appreciate advanced statistics, Ohtani has already reached 42.3 WAR for his career, according to baseball-reference.comwhich is not a crazy number. Most Hall of Fame players have at least 50-60 WAR.
But the uniqueness of Ohtani’s career – particularly his status as arguably the greatest two-way player of all time – means he could put down his bat and glove today and likely walk into the Hall of Fame without difficulty.
“It’s hard to say no,” Rangers outfielder Travis Jankowski said. “I know it’s early days. I think he can have average years for the rest of his career, and he’s a Hall of Famer. … He’s probably going to win the MVP, and winning the MVP as a designated hitter is unheard of, so it’s unbelievable.”
Rawitch said Ohtani has been “incredibly generous” with his contributions to the Hall of Fame over the years and has a deep understanding of the history of the game. The Hall of Fame’s next major exhibit will open next summer and will be called “Yakyu/Baseball,” exploring the intertwined history of baseball in Japan and the United States.
It will focus on Japanese greats like Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui and Hideo Nomo, while also looking at American players who have played in Japan.
And of course, there will be plenty to say about Ohtani, one of the greatest of both countries.
“This guy transcends the game,” Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “He’s special. He’s going to be remembered as one of the greatest players of all time and he’s not pitching this year. What Shohei has done for the game is remarkable and exciting. We need things like that.”
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AP Baseball writers Mike Fitzpatrick in New York and Stephen Hawkins in Arlington, Texas; AP Sports writers Kristie Rieken in Houston and Steve Megargee in Milwaukee; and freelancers Ken Powtak in Boston and Gary Schatz in Cincinnati contributed to this report.
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AP Major League Baseball: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB
