Alex Rodriguez Gives a Hot Shohei Ohtani Take by Mentioning MLB Revolutionary Bo Jackson
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Mar 26, 2023 | 10:50 AM EDT
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ANAHEIM, CA – APRIL 04: Starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of the game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 4, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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ANAHEIM, CA – APRIL 04: Starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of the game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 4, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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ANAHEIM, CA – APRIL 04: Starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of the game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 4, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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ANAHEIM, CA – APRIL 04: Starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of the game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 4, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Almost 300 miles away from the glorious Tokyo Dome lies the small town of Oshu, where Shohei Ohtani was born. Little did anyone know what the future had in store for the two-way sensation. In 2017, Ohtani arrived in Los Angeles and won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2018, after already creating turmoil in Japan.
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Today, Shohei Ohtani is probably the most talented player in the field of baseball. Shotime’s two-way ability, which stretches from the mound to the box and even the outfield, has received praise time and again. And most recently, after Ohtani managed to find another MVP award, Alex Rodriguez went far enough to make a bold comparison by drawing a parallel between Shohei Ohtani, Babe Ruth, and Bo Jackson.
Is Shohei Ohtani the greatest athlete since Bo Jackson? Alex Rodriguez has his say:
On the Michael Kay Show, ex-Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez received a question dubbing Shohei Ohtani as the greatest athlete since Bo Jackson, who is the only professional All-Star in the NFL and MLB.
A-Rod, who’s a distinguished name in the baseball world, was all head over heels for Shohei. The 696-homer man responded to the question by saying, “I think so. And you know, how many times can we say, in a field of All-Stars, one guy is the fastest runner, a pitcher that throws the hardest, hitter that hits it the furthest, and when he goes to the weight room, he was also the strongest cause he was squatting 600 pounds.”
He continued to say, “Not since Babe Ruth have we been able to say those things? And it’s a two-man class.”
Will Ohtani’s WBC wonders contribute to his potential $500 million contract?
Notably, Japan, led by Shohei Ohtani, emerged victorious in the globally staged World Baseball Classic against the mighty Team USA. Goes without saying that Ohtani was extremely instrumental in Japan’s WBC success. As a result, he repeated his American League 2021 stature by claiming the WBC MVP, too.
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JULY 09: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the third inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 09, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
Notably, this is Ohtani’s final year before he hits free agency. His heroics for the Angels were already sufficient for him to bag an almost $500 million touching contract. But after the WBC, teams should be ready to up the ante if they really want to pursue the sensation.
WATCH THIS STORY: Japanese Two-Way Baseball Star Shohei Ohtani Hits 100th Major League Homer