Shohei Ohtani capped off a memorable 2023 World Baseball Classic, and his performance further heightened his impact on the sport.
The Angels star struck out his fellow Los Angeles teammate Mike Trout to earn the save in Japan’s 3-2 win over the United States. Ohtani earned the MVP award as the two-way phenom continues to bring excitement to baseball that hasn’t been seen in a long time.
FOX Sports 1 play-by-play man Joe Davis compared the 28-year-old’s two-way skills to that of Gerrit Cole’s hard pitching and the power of Aaron Judge. Color analyst John Smoltz, who might not always be in on the on-field excitement, admitted Tuesday night he had very few superlatives to add to Ohtani’s greatness.
Boston Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez voiced what many also believe about the Japanese star’s impact.
“On behalf of baseball, for all the fans, from all the players, all of us that know baseball, we want to thank you for the effort, for the discipline, for everything you have done for baseball and what you represent to baseball,” Martinez told Ohtani on MLB Network’s postgame show, per CBS Sports video. “I just want to personally thank him for all you do. We are really proud and thankful and grateful for what you do. You are a special human being. So we want to thank you and recognize you.”
All eyes will be on Ohtani when the 2023 Major League Baseball season starts next week, especially as the Angels hope to retain their star amid rumors of an enormous bidding war if the two-way player enters the open market.
