Shohei Ohtani, a celebrated hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is widely recognized for his exceptional talent. However, baseball legend Barry Bonds believes that the modern game presents fewer challenges for hitters compared to past eras. During an appearance on the “All The Smoke” podcast, Bonds shared his insights on the evolving landscape of hitting.
Barry Bonds, whose illustrious 22-year MLB career includes setting the all-time home run record with 762, along with seven MVP Awards, 12 Silver Slugger Awards, eight Gold Glove Awards, and 14 All-Star selections, possesses a deep understanding of the game’s nuances.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Pitching Will Wear Out Shohei Ohtani
He offered his perspective to Shohei Ohtani, a player whose talent he greatly admires. “I just hope he just stays at the hitting category because his hitting ability is off the chart. Pitching, I just think might tire him out. I think he should come out of the bullpen here and there, because he’s DH’ing he can come out of the bullpen and throw an inning or two here and just because he’s so good as a reliever too,” Bonds remarked, suggesting a potential shift in Ohtani’s role.
Such a transition would be a significant change for Ohtani, who has demonstrated his prowess as a pitcher since joining MLB in 2018, starting 86 games with a 3.01 ERA, 1.061 WHIP, and holding opponents to a .200 batting average and .612 OPS. Bonds expressed, “Like he could be one of the dominant relievers and dominant starters. I think as a starter, I think it might get wear and tear a little bit and tire him out. Why fix something that isn’t broken because me, I’d be like no, I ain’t fix nothing that ain’t broken.”
Ohtani’s pitching excellence was instrumental in his unanimous AL MVP wins in 2021 and 2023 with the Los Angeles Angels. However, an elbow injury prevented him from pitching in 2024, and he focused on his offensive dominance with the Dodgers, earning the NL MVP unanimously after recording a .310/.390/.646 slash line and leading the National League with a 190 OPS+. Bonds also pointed out that modern players engage in significantly more batting practice than he witnessed during his career.
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Ohtani’s offensive capabilities are undeniable, as evidenced by his 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases in a single season, a feat that made him the first MLB player to achieve 50 in both categories. These statistics highlight that even if Ohtani were to transition to a relief role, he would remain a valuable asset for the Dodgers.
Regarding Bonds’ home run record, Ohtani faces a formidable challenge, needing 537 more home runs to match the record. This highlights the magnitude of Bonds’ achievement, regardless of any perceived advantages in the modern game.