Dodgers Shohei Ohtani will be in a class of his own one day originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Babe Ruth. Nolan Ryan. Hank Aaron. Pete Rose. And, one day, Shohei Ohtani.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are having a fantastic season as their eyes are on the prize of a World Series three-peat. One of the reasons why they have gotten off to this fantastic 17-8 start, which is a tie for the first spot in the National League West with the San Diego Padres, is due to their superstar two-way player, Ohtani.

There is one thing to say that you have a batter that is near the top of some important stat leaderboards, or having a pitcher that is on there may toward a very decision for the NL Cy Young Award, but what if you have both. That is exactly what the Dodgers have with No. 17.

This season, Ohtani is hitting .245, with five home runs and 11 RBIs. His OPS of .845 is a little below his career-average, but still a good chunk more than a lot of team's best hitters.

The real difference maker has been on the mound, which was one of the bigger question marks before this season. Coming off of Tommy John surgery, and his last pitching appearance came in August of 2023, nobody knew if Ohtani was going to still be as effective. With a .038 ERA in 24 innings of work, with 25 strikeouts, it is safe to say he picked it right back up where he left off.

One day, Ohtani will be remembered with all of the game's greatest players. Like Ruth, he will be remembered for his pitching as well as his hitting. Overall, there is a case to be made that his importance to the game transcended his on-field efforts, as he is sparking a new generation of two-way stars in today's youth.

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