Shohei Ohtani added another unprecedented bulletpoint to his resume Wednesday, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history called for a pitch clock violation as both a pitcher and a batter in the Angels’ win over the Seattle Mariners.
It’s not the kind of history the star takes the field to make. But it was another subtle reminder of a fact that somehow remains downplayed: Ohtani being an elite two-way player at the big league level is absurd. He is one of the best pitchers and one of the best hitters in the majors. He throws the ball harder, hits the ball farther, and runs faster than almost everybody else. Five years ago, when he arrived from Japan, the thought of such dominance was laughable. Now it’s normal.
Soon we’ll find out what the industry believes his unparalleled skill set is worth.
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