There are athletes at the peak of their skill who are so transcendent that they defy reality.
Think Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s, Wayne Gretzky with the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980s, Jim Brown with the Cleveland Browns of the 1960s, or Mickey Mantle with the New York Yankees in the 1950s.
Or just watch Shohei Ohtani with the Los Angeles Dodgers right now, as the Japanese sensation continues to defy what is thought possible for a Major League Baseball player, even though he’s been limited to a designated hitter role this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Last week, he won World Baseball Network’s International MLB Player of the Week honors after going 13-for-30 with a .433/.485/.1.067 batting line, a 1.552 OPS, five home runs, nine runs scored, and 18 RBIs.
This week, he somehow managed to top himself, going 15-for-24 with a .625/.679/1.042 batting line, a 1.720 OPS, two homers, eight RBIs, and four stolen bases.
And while other international players in MLB had outstanding weeks, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays and Gleyber Torres of the New York Yankees, Ohtani’s numbers, once again, were too big to ignore.
With two games remaining in the regular season, it’s possible that Ohtani reaches the 55/55 mark for homers and stolen bases. He’s already swiped 57 bags this season, and is sitting on 54 homers.
The Dodgers close out the regular season this weekend against the Colorado Rockies in Denver before the playoffs begin.
Will Ohtani get the Dodgers to another World Series? Just wait. The best might be yet to come.
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WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
WBN Shohei Ohtani Coverage: https://worldbaseball.com/?s=ohtani
Photo: Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angels Dodgers steals second base for his 57th stolen base of the season against the Colorado Rockies in the second inning at Coors Field on September 27, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
