"Shohei Ohtani is flying" – Yankees manager Aaron Boone astounded by Dodgers superstar's all-around skills in hitting, base running, and pitching
On Tuesday, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, former big leaguer Sean Casey and analyst Rich Ciancimino talked about Shohei Ohtani and the much anticipated Yankees vs. Dodgers World Series matchup. The first game of the showpiece event will be played on Friday.
Boone, who has been manager of the Yankees since 2018, worked with Casey when he served as the hitting coach during the 2023 season.
On Tuesday's edition of "The Mayor's Office with Sean Casey," Boone talked about the things that impressed him most about the Dodgers' superstar, Shohei Ohtani.
"Just how explosive of an athlete he is. Obviously with the 50 stolen bases this year, it garnered a lot of attention. But, I think that's always what's jumped out, watching him run down the base line. You know, 3-4 years ago, people didn't necessarily know how fast he was and it's like 'This guy is flying.'" Boone said [15:24]
"Then, just the stretch and the torque he creates at the plate, he is unique. Especially when you add the fact that, what we've seen him do on the mound. But he is, obviously as unique a talent as we've ever seen in this game, and put together a pretty special season in his first year with the Dodgers," Boone added [15:48]
Shohei Ohtani inches closer to one of the greatest ever baseball seasons
After ending an incredible regular season with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, 59 stolen bases, a .310 batting average and 1.036 OPS, Shohei Ohtani has already registered one of the greatest offensive seasons in MLB history. He enjoyed success with his team, as the Dodgers won the NL West division title.
Heading into the first postseason of his career, much was made of whether Ohtani could deal with the pressure. So far, the 30-year-old has risen to the occasion, with a .286 average, 10 RBIs, three home runs and a .934 OPS in the postseason.
As the Blues eliminated the Mets, Ohtani the Dodgers became NL Champions. Fans hope their superstar can keep swinging a hot bat, as he has done pretty much all season, with the Dodgers heading into one final series for the ultimate prize.