Shohei Ohtani’s latest display of brilliance on the diamond was one of those feats that had other sports greats tipping their hats to him. The Los Angeles Dodgers ace crushed a ball deep into the bleachers, drove in two runs, and also managed to strike out eight batters. Somehow, the Dodgers still lost 3-5 against the St. Louis Cardinals. Yet, he managed to leave a lasting impression on a former NBA great.

In a segment of the latest edition of the Club 520 podcast, host Jeff Teague and the rest of his panel entertained an intriguing question: Is the Japanese icon better at baseball than Michael Jordan was at basketball? Well, undoubtedly, the two-way Japanese phenom is a superstar that the league hasn’t seen in generations. At least not since Babe Ruth.

That being said, Teague asked the panel, “So, who do you compare him to in any other sport?” A brief discussion later, Teague himself brought up Michael Jordan.

Apparently, Ohtani’s dominance on the field reminded the former Milwaukee Bucks star of Michael Jordan’s unforgettable 1988 season. Teague further added that Jordan had won MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and the scoring title. Jordan’s 1988 season is held as untouchable, and no player has been able to match it since.

But while baseball has completely different dynamics, Co-host Bishop B. Henn emphasized that baseball is a sport that’s all about individual moments. And that’s what makes it stand out. “When you strike someone out, nobody helps you,” Henn said.

That statement prompted Teague to question, “So, is he actually better in baseball than Michael Jordan was in basketball?” There was an ignited back-and-forth among the panel after this question.

And when the 2021 NBA champion got his chance, he boldly claimed, “I won’t say he’s more dominant, but I will say he’s more impressive.” Truly, Ohtani has been unreal over these past years. He’s back to pitching after a long time. And his true way of greatness continues to impress the league and beyond. In the recent span of time, this is the second time that Ohtani has been compared with Jordan.

Fanatics CEO compares Ohtani to ’90s Michael Jordan

It goes back to April, when Michael Rubin, the Fanatics CEO, drew an intriguing comparison between Ohtani and NBA legend Michael Jordan. He emphasized Ohtani’s unmatched influence.

Jordan had won six NBA championships, five MVPs, and ten scoring titles to his name. Back in the 1990s, the viewership of the NBA was sky high, and broadcasters across 200 countries notched massive deals. That was the impact Jordan had on the NBA. And now, Ohtani has the same influence.

Apparently, as per Rubin, Ohtani is “doing as much for baseball as Michael Jordan did for basketball in the 90s.” He further added, “He’s a unicorn. He’s truly one of a kind.” So true!

Ohtani recently performed double duty in the Dodgers-Cardinals game. He served as the starting pitcher and delivered stunning offense as he recorded his 1,000th career hit. There was no stopping him.

He flawlessly pitched four dominant innings, allowing only one run on two hits. He had recorded a season-high eight strikeouts. After the game, Ohtani shared that it was a big feat for him to be able to push through four innings. It’s because Ohtani is not expected to pitch more than five innings per start in the regular season.

This season, he has started eight games as a pitcher. Plus, he has posted an ERA as low as 2.37 and a 1.11 WHIP with 25 strikeouts. Shotime remains truly unmatched!