As we always say, baseball gives us enough reasons to smile and cry. But sometimes, a simple acknowledgement works wonders. That’s what the Athletics’ 23-year-old baseman did when he got compared to one of the best players in MLB – Shohei Ohtani. Well, the Athletics’ Tyler Soderstrom is all over the news for sending balls out of the park. Ever thought about someone giving tough competition to Shohei Ohtani or Aaron Judge in terms of hitting home runs? Soderstrom surely did.

The young slugger managed to score his ninth home run on Thursday when facing the Chicago White Sox. Against one of the most well-known White Sox relievers, Brandon Eisert, Tyler Soderstrom delivered a huge hit that sent the ball flying 374 feet. His red-hot form put him at the top of the leaderboard, and it was the fifth time in Major League Baseball history that a player 23 years of age or younger hit nine home runs in just 19 games.

As expected, he got compared to Shohei Ohtani – the first player to achieve 50 home runs in a single season. When asked about it in an interview, Soderstrom said, “I got compared to Ohtani; that was pretty awesome.”

However, he remained calm and believed that he wasn’t there yet. But, at some point, he would like to achieve some massive record like Ohtani. Soderstrom further said, “I credit JJ Bleday. He went foot down early and I kind of learnt after him and took off.” Soderstrom shed light on how getting his foot down early helped. Bleday taught him this type of adjustment, which enabled him to avoid the leg kick before executing a swing motion. This further helped him to time the pitches perfectly and, at the same time, reduce the movement of his head at the plate.

As the good form continues, a question remains: “Is Tyler Soderstrom Shohei Ohtani?” MLB Network analysts conducted a thorough analysis and shared their findings. 

MLB experts weigh on Tyler Soderstrom’s ability to tap into power

It’s no surprise that the way Tyler Soderstrom is playing, MLB fans and analysts are already comparing him with Shohei Ohtani. MLB analysts Mark DeRosa and Mike Lowell discussed his performance during the MLB Central episode, attempting to figure out how he has been gaining so much power when he swings his bat. Lowell noted that he can hit the bat more easily because of its narrower base.

DeRosa clarified how his methods differed from Tyler Soderstrom’s in 2024, when he held his bat at a vertical angle. However, in 2025, he came with a new stance, as he holds the bat quite high just like Gary Sheffield, which might be making it easier for him to hit. But that’s not all!

The analysts also found that Soderstrom has become more athletic and fitter. DeRosa said, “Listen, if you’re going to deliver a blow, you get boom; you want to be short and tight.” He compared his style to that of Mike Trout, who maintains a long, wide stroke, which results in significantly less power behind the bat. Soderstrom has rather narrowed up his stance and managed to close himself down a bit, which could also be the reason he is hitting it big and bigger every now and then.

While the comparison continues, we all hope that someone comes around who can also compete with big players like Shohei Ohtani in the future. It will be good for the Athletics as well as for the MLB, where fans expect better every season. What’s your take on Tyler Soderstrom and his performance? Let us know in the comments below.