“Shohei Is Kind of Like..”: Comparisons Drawn Between Ohtani and 2x All-Star and World Series Champ After Showing Off His Speed

Shohei Ohtani hits the ball harder than most players. He can also throw a 100 mph pitch. Is there anything that Ohtani can’t do? Perhaps not. Though earlier fans could question his base running abilities, the star rarely got to show his pace. But even that is out of the question now – especially after the tremendous running display of Ohtani in the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ electrifying win against the San Francisco Giants.

Ohtani’s athleticism has always mesmerized baseball lovers. That he can be so agile even after being quite large physically is astonishing. The superstar showed it again last night when his lightning-quick baserunning left everyone shocked. Just how fast can Ohtani go? The answer is 30 mph – at least for now. That led to a top analyst comparing him to D-Train and noting how his energy matches the 2x All-Star Dontrelle Willis. 

Though Willis was a pitcher, his energy and acceleration were something to behold. Now an analyst, he was sitting there when his co-panelist compared Ohtani to him. “When D-Train retired, I was a little bit depressed. I wanted to see a complete athlete on the bases, at the plate, and obviously on the mound. Guess what? Shohei is kind of like Dontrelle.” 

D-Train couldn’t help but smile at the comparison. Though it was more tongue-in-cheek, it did give a great idea as to how special Ohtani is. According to Statcast, a 30 mph sprint speed puts Ohtani in an elite group of players. Nearly everyone, from analysts to fans to his Dodgers teammates, was in awe of Shotime’s pace. 

However, the real praise came from the skipper, Dave Roberts. Doc couldn’t help but enjoy watching Ohtani’s burst of speed. Though he wasn’t surprised, he did say something that nearly everyone says at this point.

Shohei Ohtani’s habit of making the impossible possible continues

It seems Dave Roberts just loves praising Ohtani. From his Porsche to his hits, the skipper never misses a beat to say good words for his player. This time, however, Doc said something that could be on the cover of Shotime’s biography. “There’s nothing he can’t do… There’s just so many ways Shohei can beat you,” the Los Angeles Dodgers skipper said in his postgame conference. 

Not to be outdone by Ohtani’s pace, his hitting power too was on full display last night. At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, the two-way phenom’s power doesn’t surprise anyone. But then he went to hit a grounder at 109.5 mph, and that certainly raised some eyebrows. The superstar is atop every hitter in the MLB with a 16% BRL/PA.  Who is closest to him? Juan Soto has a 13.1% rate. So Shohei Ohtani is nearly 3% ahead of his closest competitor. That shows the level of dominance that the superstar is currently showing at the plate.

So with hard hits and even harder sprints, Ohtani seems to be on a mission. The two-time MVP wants to prove he’s the best, and as of now, he is succeeding.