Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani is showing, once again, he can be an elite hitter and pitcher at the same time.
There might be better pitchers and more productive hitters in baseball, but he is very close to the top of the league in both, and that’s something that no other person on Earth can brag about.
In fact, the numbers back up his utter dominance.
Still doing it all. pic.twitter.com/Gz8Gxkb5mP
— MLB (@MLB) June 26, 2022
ERA+ and OPS+ are versions of the traditional ERA and OPS metrics, respectively, but adjusted to external factors like eras, ballparks, and opponents.
In both ERA+ and OPS+, league average performance is 100.
It means Ohtani has been 35 percent better than the average pitcher, and 35 percent better than the average hitter.
That’s incredible.
A True Unicorn
No one is supposed to be that good at both activities, with them being so specialized and hard.
A good MLB hitter has been batting since he was a child, almost every day, and at different levels.
Additionally, to have such good stuff and command a 100-mph fastball (and a sick splitter), some years of training are also required.
Ohtani is a freak of nature: a unicorn.
There is no other player like him in the world.
He is currently boasting a .259/.341/.489 line with 16 home runs as a hitter, and a 2.90 ERA in 68.1 innings from the mound.
He has been, at the same time, a top-three Angels hitter and their best pitcher, all while occupying just one roster spot.
The Angels, and the league as a whole, have to be thankful for having Ohtani on their roster: fans, too.
He is the most entertaining player in baseball, and there is no discussion.
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