When Shohei Ohtani arrived in Major League Baseball in 2018, the question wasn’t whether he was good—it was whether what he was attempting was even possible. A starting pitcher who could hit like a cleanup slugger? The concept hadn’t been seriously entertained since the early 20th century. The most frequent comparison was Babe Ruth, who is widely considered to be the greatest baseball player ever.
Redefining the Limits of Greatness
Historically, the “GOAT” discussion in baseball revolves around superlatives in one dimension—Barry Bonds’ power and plate discipline, Willie Mays’ all-around play, or Derek Jeter’s postseason greatness But Ohtani redefines the conversation by being elite in two realms at once, which is the rare 2 position player hitter and pitcher.
In 2021, he won the American League MVP by hitting 46 home runs, stealing 26 bases, and posting a .965 OPS—all while striking out 156 batters in 130.1 innings as a starter. He repeated two-way excellence in subsequent seasons, including a staggering 10.0+ WAR campaign in 2023, per FanGraphs, a season in which he again finished among league leaders in both pitching and offensive categories. In 2025, after a year away from the mound, Ohtani is once again proving his historic ability as possibly not only inline to be considered the greatest baseball player ever but quite possibly the greatest sports star ever, which he still has a long way to go, but at this point he is well on his way. Statistically, he has achieved things no one else in baseball history has—period.
The Ruth Comparison, Revisited
Babe Ruth remains the towering figure in baseball lore. But context matters. Ruth pitched and hit—but not simultaneously for long. By the time he was setting home run records, his pitching days were over. Ohtani is doing both, at the same time, against a globalized talent pool, with pitch-tracking data, bullpen specialists, and international scouting networks that make dominance harder than ever.
The Case for Historical Context
Of course, the GOAT debate must account for more than statistical oddities. Longevity and sustained impact weigh heavily. Ruth, Mays, and Bonds all produced over decades, not just flashes, but those 3 guys couldn’t hit 46 home runs and strike out 200 batters and throw a baseball at 100 MPH
So, Is He the Greatest Baseball Player Already?
If greatness is defined strictly by career totals, Ohtani’s case remains incomplete—at least for now. His resume lacks the length of a Bonds or even the relentless efficiency of a Hank Aaron. If greatness includes the ability to do what no one else can, then Shohei Ohtani already belongs at the very top of the conversation. No one has changed the game quite like him. And in a sport so obsessed with game-defining players, perhaps that’s the most remarkable stat of all!