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Shohei Ohtani’s performance in Game 4 of the NLCS is already being heralded as the great individual performance in MLB history, postseason or not.
But is Ohtani the greatest player the league has ever seen?
“You can’t say he’s the greatest player ever, because he has to have a longer career; you have to do this for a long time,” Derek Jeter said during Sunday’s “MLB on FOX Pregame” show. “We’ve had Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and a lot of players come through this game.
“But I think you can say he has the greatest toolset of any player that we’ve seen.”
‘We are witnessing greatness’ 👑 Big Papi, A-Rod, & Derek Jeter on Shohei Ohtani’s LEGENDARY NLCS
Ohtani hit three home runs in the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ series-clinching Game 4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, and he struck out 10 batters in six innings as the team’s starting pitcher. He became the first player in MLB history to hit two home runs in a single postseason game, and the first pitcher in MLB history to a hit a lead-off home run in either the regular season or postseason.
“It reminds me of 1977, when Reggie Jackson hit those three home runs,” Alex Rodriguez said. “There’s probably three million people out there saying, ‘I was at that game,’ but that’s impossible. There are only 54,000 seats. The same will be said about Game 4 at Dodger Stadium.
“Simply said: right now, he is the most impactful and the best athlete on planet earth.”
Ohtani’s two-way dominance has earned him comparisons to another baseball legend in Babe Ruth. But even that comparison is starting to feel imperfect given the era Ohtani’s playing in.
“None of us were around when Babe Ruth was doing his thing,” Big Papi said. “But I’m so happy I was born in this era right here so I can watch greatness.”
“We’ve used to, no matter what sport it is, say that was a ‘Ruthian’ effort — are we getting to the point that we’re going to say ‘Ohtanian’ feat?” That’s how good he is,” Rodriguez added. “Really, there is no comp.”
Ohtani will have the chance to add a second World Series ring to his stacked résumé, and perhaps another otherworldly postseason performance.
“We are watching greatness right here,” Big Papi said. “Watching this guy hitting and pitching in our era, our lifetime, I don’t care what anybody says, this is the fun to watch.”
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