Former Braves player is frank about Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani is that guy!
Braves’ Andruw Jones with the eyes emojis all over him while smiling at Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani is in the middle of a historic season in his first year donning the Los Angeles Dodgers uniform. Ohtani may not have suited up on the mound all season long after suffering an elbow injury last year, but he continues to find new ways to impact the game. He has become one of the best speed demons in the entire MLB, and combined with his elite power production at the plate, he is on track to become the first player in history to have at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
At the time of writing, Ohtani has hit 47 home runs and stolen 48 bases, and with 16 games remaining on the season, the 30-year-old designated hitter has plenty of time to become the founding member of the 50-50 club.
There is no greater respect than one coming from a true legend of the game. During a guesting on Foul Territory TV, Atlanta Braves legend Andruw Jones, who was a legitimate power and speed demon during his peak in the MLB, gave Shohei Ohtani his vote of confidence in the NL MVP race.
“I think the thing this kid is doing is unbelievable. It’s special,” Jones said. “I think so, yeah, [he’s the MVP.]”
The Braves legend revealed that he had been keeping tabs on Shohei Ohtani back in his playing days in Japan. He thought that his bat wouldn’t come around and that his long-term future was to solely become an elite starting pitcher, but his first season with the Dodgers has shown that he remains an elite player even without his contributions on the mound.
In fact, Jones believes that Ohtani even could have become one of the best outfielders in the game had it not been very overwhelming for him in terms of workload.
“He is a great outfielder. He’s impressive. I saw him and I was like, he’s a great player. He’s got all the tools. He’s tall, speed was there all the time. His bat was shaky and I was like, ‘Man, maybe this guy would just want to stick with pitching. But he changed it. He made the adjustment and we’ve seen it,” Jones added.
What Ohtani is doing for the Dodgers in 2024 should not be taken for granted. It’s hard to think of how Ohtani can top what he’s doing should he actually be the first member of the 50-50 club, but his impending return to the mound next season means that there is more greatness in store for the most unique player in MLB history.
