Even among fellow sports superstars, Shohei Ohtani has reached legendary status.
The Los Angeles Dodgers two-way phenomenon has shown off his baseball magnificence during this year’s MLB postseason, particularly on Oct. 17, when he had arguably the greatest performance in the game’s history, hitting three home runs at the plate while striking out 10 on the mound in an NL Championship Series-clinching win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
He made more history Monday, homering twice and tying a 119-year-old major-league record with four extra-base hits in a wild, 18-inning victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the World Series. Ohtani also drew five consecutive walks, making him the first major-leaguer in 83 years to reach base nine times in any game, let alone the postseason.
That instant classic ended about 17 hours before Ohtani was slated to bring his two-way show to the World Series. He’ll pitch and bat leadoff in Game 4 on Tuesday night, his first time taking the mound in the Fall Classic.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is among standouts in other sports who are in awe of someone transcending what many thought was possible on a baseball diamond.
Mahomes has some added perspective on baseball – his dad, Pat, was a big-league pitcher from 1992 to 2003.
“To be able to be that dominant pitching the ball, throwing 100, and then going and hitting home runs and changing the outcome of the game – it wasn’t like it was a blowout, like every home run was needed,” Mahomes said of NLCS Game 4. “It’s remarkable. And, like, he’s top at both sides of the ball. He’s one of the best pitchers in the league, also, if not the best, one of the best hitters in the league – top two, with him and [Aaron] Judge.”
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant – a 15-time All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP who is among basketball’s all-time great scorers – says he’s also a fan.
“He’s a freak of nature,” Durant said. “He’s changing sports in general. It’s kind of crazy, this era of players, so many unique players in every sport. It’s just incredible to be watching sports and Shohei is one of those guys who’s going to be a legend, one of the greatest all time, arguably the greatest of all time when he’s done playing.”
Colorado football coach Deion Sanders has some experience as an athletic anomaly, playing nine MLB seasons while also embarking on a Hall of Fame football career. The confident 58-year-old – known as ‘Coach Prime’ these days – also has some experience of what makes a celebrity.
“He’s great. He’s not good, he is great,” Sanders said. “You hate to say once in a lifetime, but it’ll be decades before another player comes along like that.”
Ohtani has shown a knack for showing up in big moments throughout his career. He had a three-homer, two-steal game while becoming the first player to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a season in 2024. Earlier this year, the Japanese star hit a towering solo homer in his return to the Tokyo Dome, delighting his home country.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said Ohtani doesn’t really have any peers in the sporting world. He agreed that the three-homer, 10-strikeout game would be like an NFL quarterback throwing four touchdowns in a game and then also playing safety and grabbing two interceptions on defense in the playoffs.
“I’m a huge Ohtani fan,” Prescott said. “One is just, you can’t even do that on the video game. That’s what I always go to because I play ‘MLB The Show.’ I’m like, I’m trying to create a pitcher who can do both and I’m like, I don’t understand why they won’t let me do it when Shohei’s doing it.
“You go 10 strikeouts in six innings and 3 for 3 with three home runs and a walk? Bro, it’s amazing.”
Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson – known as “Megatron” during his NFL days – was a standout baseball player at Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Georgia, before he played football at Georgia Tech and for the Detroit Lions.
The now 40-year-old was a pitcher and center fielder and said he received an offer from the Dodgers while in high school to pursue professional baseball.
“The dominance Shohei displays at the plate and on the mound is a trail set ablaze,” Johnson said Monday. “I can’t wait to see who follows, because I know he’s inspiring pitchers everywhere to step it up at the plate.”
Even those who don’t follow baseball have been captivated by Ohtani’s feats of strength.
“I will admit I am not a big baseball fan but what he has done is incredible!!!,” former Stanford three-time NCAA champion women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer wrote via text. “I will watch when he is pitching just to see excellence BUT I am cheering for the Blue Jays.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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