The Los Angeles Dodgers were playing the Miami Marlins on Sept. 19. Shohei Ohtani was one steal and two home runs away from being the first 50-50 player in baseball history (50 home runs and 50 steals in one season). He proceeded to go 6-for-6 with three home runs, four runs scored, two stolen bases and 10 runs batted in. It was the best single-game performance I’ve ever seen and solidified my belief that he’s the greatest baseball player we’ll ever see.
There, I said it. He’s only 30 years old, and in my mind, the conversation is already over.
Some will say it’s Babe Ruth. To the average non-baseball fan, that’s probably the name that first comes to mind if you ask them to think of a great baseball player. The guy’s Baseball Reference page is a sight to behold. Ruth had 14 seasons where he finished with an OPS (on base plus slugging) over 1.000 and finished his career with a 1.164 OPS, the highest career OPS ever. For reference, there are only two MLB players who currently have an OPS over 1.000 for the season, Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge and Ohtani. Fresh off the dead-ball era, Ruth revolutionized the game with his power. He was the best player on arguably the greatest team ever assembled, he’s got his own chocolate bar, he’s the Great Bambino.
Prior to Ohtani, I probably would have said it’s Willie Mays. The guy could do it all. He was the true definition of a five-tool player; he could hit for contact (.301 career batting average), hit for power (660 career homers), run with the best of ’em (339 career stolen bases), had a rocket for an arm and won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves from the center field position. Pair that with 24 all star appearances, over 3000 hits and the most famous defensive play of all time (his basket catch); that’s one hell of a case.
I’ve come to the conclusion that Shohei Ohtani, at the ripe age of 30, has taken the belt of greatest to ever do it. Before I dive into my case, I should clarify that just because I think he’s the best player of all time does NOT mean that I believe he’s had the best career of all time. Those are two separate things; by the time it’s all said and done, Ohtani may have the title of both.
He is a 6-foot-4-inch, 210-pound specimen that is elite in every aspect of the game. There’s, quite literally, nothing he can’t do. He’s leading the National League in home runs, OPS, RBIs, on base percentage, slugging percentage and he’s second in steals and batting average. Oh, by the way, he’s also an All-Star caliber pitcher; he even finished fourth in American League Cy Young voting in 2022.
Shohei Ohtani is like Willie Mays with the arm talent of Justin Verlander. In the span of four years, Shohei Ohtani has won two Most Valuable Player awards (he’s about to win his third and finished second in 2022), led the league in strikeouts in 2022 and created the 50-50 club. He’s on an unprecedented run.
When people say, “he’s the modern Babe Ruth,” their comparison feels insulting and severely underplays what we’ve seen from Ohtani. I don’t mean to downplay Ruth’s accomplishments, but he doesn’t hold a candle to Ohtani when it comes to the two-way player argument. Ruth played in an age where most players’ fastballs were in the 80s. Players had to get jobs in the offseason because they weren’t paid enough to live off their earnings year round. Players, including Ruth, would put down a few beers and smoke a few cigs before game time. The league only consisted of white players. Players weren’t dedicated to baseball 365, 24/7 like they are now. The very reason Spring Training exists is because players would have to get their feet underneath them again and work themselves back into shape after working other jobs in the offseason. Even Ruth only pitched five seasons before focusing on hitting only.
This isn’t an indictment on Ruth at all; he was the best of his era, but times have changed. While it may not seem fair, these are the facts of the case: Ohtani is arguably the best hitter in the league, in a time where players have never been more athletic. He’s a top-10 starting pitcher in a league that’s never had more access to training techniques that best prepare them for the season. He’s doing it against a league where some of the best players are Dominican, Black, Japanese, Puerto Rican, etc. Ohtani plays against players like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto; Ruth never faced Satchel Paige.
As a Dodgers fan, I’ve been elated, to say the least. Beyond the numbers, he’s got all the intangibles. He’s clutch, he gels with the team well and he’s such a likable guy. He’s never shown this much emotion while playing, which fires me up. He’s about to make his first postseason appearance, something he was robbed of in his time with Anaheim. Guys like Ohtani are meant for October baseball; and I can’t wait to see the greatest player of all time on the biggest stage.
Luke Mallery