"I want to see Shohei Ohtani hit every day, forget the pitching" - When White Sox legend Frank Thomas wanted Japanese star play right field everyday
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has been dubbed baseball's unicorn because of his unique two-way ability. The four-time All-Star is the only player in MLB to pose the dual threat on the diamond.
Ohtani, since his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018, has shown he is as efficient on the mound facing hitters as he is facing off against opposition pitchers.
The Japanese phenom became the first two-way player to feature in an All-Star game, his first, in 2021. While MLB greats Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz were in awe of Ohtani's two-way ability before the All-Star game, White Sox legend Frank Thomas wanted Ohtani to hit every day and play in the outfield, overlook pitching to prolong his career.
"We might be looking at the greatest talent we've ever seen on a baseball field," Thomas said on FOX Sports in 2021 (0:30 onwards). "But for me, watching the last couple of years, I want to see Shohei Ohtani hit every day, forget the pitching because the numbers are astronomical. This guy is hitting 33 home runs at 70 RBIs and pitching every fifth day.
"So for him, he's gonna have a long career, but I think I would put him in right field every day because, like Alex said, he's one of the fastest guys on the roster, and let him play the outfield and let him relax a little."
Shohei Ohtani had a breakthrough year in 2021, hitting 46 home runs in his first full season (155 games) with the Angels. He also went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA from the mound. He claimed the first of his three MVP titles that year and finished fourth in the AL Cy Young Award list.
Frank Thomas' wish came true during Shohei Ohtani's historic 2024 season.
Frank Thomas got his wish, to an extent, at the expense of Shohei Ohtani's elbow injury in 2023, as he didn't pitch for the entirety of his first season with the Dodgers in 2024.
Ohtani was used as a designated hitter by the NL West team, and they garnered historic results. The four-time All-Star, playing without a pitching workload, smashed a career-high 54 home runs with 59 steals, becoming the first player in MLB history to the 50-50 club.
He claimed his third MVP title in four years and also claimed the first World Series ring of his career. Following his World Series triumph, Shohei Ohtani is set to return to the mound in the 2025 season.
While the Dodgers fans are excited to see the three-time MVP resume his dual role, it'll be interesting to see how it impacts his hitting after posting historic numbers last season.