Apr 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) is greeted by third base coach Dino Ebel (91) after hitting a walk off solo home run against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Apr 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) is greeted by third base coach Dino Ebel (91) after hitting a walk off solo home run against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
ArticlesESPNMLBBy Arthur Weinstein on

What can be said about Shohei Ohtani that hasn’t already been said?

When you’ve already been praised by many MLB observers as the “greatest player in baseball history,” there would seem to be no more upside. But ESPN’s Karl Ravech tried to go a step further Thursday.

In an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, talk turned to Ohtani’s electrifying walk-off home run against the Atlanta Braves the night before, which also happened to come on Shohei Ohtani’s bobblehead night.

It’s easy to get carried away after seeing a dramatic moment like that, but there’s no denying Ohtani’s greatness. With that said, Ravech tried to put the Los Angeles Dodgers star’s career into perspective.

“There probably hasn’t been an athlete who’s more well-known globally maybe since Tiger Woods, maybe Muhammad Ali, than this guy,” Ravech said. “I think you could make the case he’s the biggest and most well-known athlete globally on the planet, because obviously of what he does in Asia. And that’s why the Dodgers invested in him.”

For the sake of argument, you could probably throw Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, and several soccer stars (Ronaldo, Messi, Pelé) into that mix for the world’s most famous athlete of the past half-century.

Taylor Twellman made sure to point out the discrepancy between global fame and social media following.

But Ohtani is in the conversation.

And Ravech pointed out the buzz around Ohtani on the Dodgers’ trip to Japan last month.

“He went to Japan, the expectations were off the charts,” Ravech said. “And one of the things that all of the players were even astounded by was how big in that country he is. There is no comparison in this country to his popularity in that country. It doesn’t exist. He goes over there, they win two games, he hits a homer.”

Ohtani’s home run in Japan had surreal drama.


Ravech described the aura surrounding Ohtani’s bobblehead night and how many assumed the Japanese star would do something heroic.

“They lined up beginning at 7, 8, 9 in the morning to get the Ohtani bobblehead,” Ravech said. “And then on his night, he walks up to the plate, and I swear, you talk to the players, you talk to the fans, he was expected to do what he did. The level of accountability is beyond recognition.

“It’s [Tom] Brady in a Super Bowl at his prime, it’s [Tiger] Woods at a major, at his prime. It’s not a question of, is he going to hit a homer, it’s where’s the ball going to go?”

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.

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