President Donald Trump compared Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to baseball great Babe Ruth. During a White House visit, President Trump lauded Ohtani for his extraordinary achievements.
The Dodgers stopped by the White House on their East Coast road trip. President Trump acknowledged Ohtani’s exceptional performance, saying, “The 2025 Dodger season was historic in Major League Baseball. Shohei Ohtani, an international legend, is the only player to earn more than one unanimous league MVP.” Trump held a Dodgers jersey with his name and the number 47 during the 2025 World Series champions ceremony. (Photo: Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images)
Shohei Ohtani’s Achievements
President Trump highlighted Ohtani’s remarkable feat last year, where he secured his third consecutive unanimous league MVP with a franchise record of 55 home runs. “Being both the best pitcher and hitter seemed impossible. Babe Ruth achieved something close,” Trump remarked.
Over the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Ohtani’s career soared. He hit 99 home runs and led the National League with a 1.025 OPS. Despite not pitching in 2024 due to elbow surgery, Ohtani returned and recorded a 2.87 ERA and 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
Shohei Ohtani, often called the “Japanese Babe Ruth,” remains unmatched in Major League Baseball. He is the only player with over 300 plate appearances and more than 40 innings in six seasons. In comparison, Ruth managed this twice without achieving 50 stolen bases.
The Babe Ruth Comparison
Trump critiqued the Boston Red Sox’s trade of Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees as “the worst trade in sports history.” He noted, “Babe was traded at 19 for a 36-year-old third baseman and $100,000. They drafted him as a pitcher, but he led in home runs as a pitcher.”
The Red Sox sold Ruth to the Yankees in 1920 for $100,000 and a $300,000 loan.
Ohtani’s Current Season
This season, Ohtani maintains impressive stats. As a hitter, he has a .283 average, 22 home runs, 60 RBIs, and six stolen bases in 94 games. As a pitcher, he boasts an 8-2 record with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts, though a knee issue caused him to miss a start. Ohtani aims to lead the Dodgers to a third consecutive World Series title.
Contributions to this report were made by Fox News’ Ryan Morik.
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