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Baseball has been there for a long time, but there comes a time when players define the sport. Players like Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and Barry Bonds have defined the sport. And for this generation, it is Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani has got the whole world on notice, including teammates, rivals, legends, and even the President of the USA. Because when Shohei Ohtani starts to play, the whole world watches. In a recent press conference, where President Donald Trump was congratulating LSU and LSU Shreveport Baseball for winning their championship, he also talked about Ohtani. President Trump said, “I’m so busy I don’t get to watch baseball too much. I did watch the other night….there happened to be a Japanese player who was not bad. He was one of the best pitchers I have ever seen. He was one of the best hitters I have ever seen.” And then the President turned around and asked the players, “He’s pretty good, right?” to which the players in unison said, “Yeah.” Shohei Ohtani once again reminded everyone why he’s a once-in-a-century talent. In Game 6 of the NLCS against the Brewers, he struck out ten batters and allowed no runs through six-plus innings. On top of that, he hit three home runs, powering the Dodgers to a 5–1 win and back-to-back World Series appearances. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Even President Donald Trump couldn’t ignore a performance like that. Speaking at a White House event for college baseball champions, Trump admitted he doesn’t usually watch much baseball but tuned in that night. He said the “Japanese player” he saw was one of the best pitchers and hitters he’d ever seen, calling the game “pretty amazing.” ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad It wasn’t the first time Trump had been captivated by Ohtani’s brilliance. After the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series win, Trump called Ohtani a “movie star” and praised his historic 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases season. For fans, hearing the president gush about Ohtani just confirmed what baseball already knows—the guy keeps rewriting what’s possible on a diamond. Maybe Babe Ruth changed baseball’s past, but Shohei Ohtani is defining its future. Even Donald Trump, a man not known for understatement, couldn’t help but cheer him on. At this rate, Ohtani might soon need his own presidential suite in Cooperstown. Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports From baseball to basketball, Shohei Ohtani is making LA talk Los Angeles thought it had sports figured out: basketball for the winter, baseball for the fall. Then Shohei Ohtani happened. Suddenly, even the Lakers’ preseason warmups paused for a man who pitches like a hurricane and hits like a cannon. Records shattered, jaws dropped, and every highlight clip looks like a “how did he do that?” tutorial in athletic absurdity. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Before their preseason finale against the Sacramento Kings, Lakers forward Rui Hachimura and teammates watched Shohei Ohtani’s Game 4. Ohtani pitched six shutout innings with ten strikeouts while hitting three solo home runs for Los Angeles. Hachimura described it as “crazy,” adding, “Everybody was just literally watching it and was like, “What is this?” Even Lakers legend Magic Johnson publicly praised Ohtani for his historic performance and leadership on the field. Johnson congratulated the Dodgers while highlighting Ohtani’s unprecedented two-way dominance as both hitter and pitcher. The city of Los Angeles, from players to fans, witnessed Ohtani’s records being rewritten with awe and admiration.
