Have you ever thought of living like Shohei Ohtani one day? Of course you have. You’d be a baseball phenom for that day and the media will hound you, take your photos, ask a million questions and don’t get me started on the fans. Ohtani has gained so much fan following that stepping out of the house and nobody stopping you for an autograph or a photo is just not possible.  

That’s just one day for you, but for Shohei Ohtani, it has become his life. But what is the two-way phenom off the field like? Teammate Mookie Betts says ‘normal’. Betts says that the Japanese star is cool, chill and quite. Ohtani just does what he has to. Well, who would’ve thought that the person who makes such a blast on the field will be such a calm soul outside the game zone. 

Mookie Betts says Shohei Ohtani is normal but what he does, is not 

Mookie Betts provided insight into Ohtani’s struggles during his participation on Matt Barnes’ All the Smoke podcast on Thursday. Ohtani’s worldwide fame has had an impact on his personal and off-field life. “He’s that person that, he literally cannot go anywhere. He can’t live a normal life and so it kinda sucks. Like after we leave the stadium, you don’t see him.” Betts said.

Shohei Ohtani is such a fascinating figure, isn’t he? He’s got this rare combination of humble greatness and absolute dominance on the field, but he never feels the need to shout about it.  

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It’s like his whole vibe is built on the Japanese principle of “wa”—harmony and balance—where the focus is more on letting your actions speak for you rather than seeking attention.

Mookie Betts also recalled the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) final, which is still remembered by many Japanese players and fans. The enchanted two-way star Shohei Ohtani entered the game as a reliever and faced off against Mike Trout, his MLB colleague from the Los Angeles Angels at the time. Ohtani ended the game with a strikeout.

Is it any wonder he’s in talks of Hall of Fame when the time comes with recent Cooperstown headlines?

Can Shohei Ohtani be the next unanimously voted Hall of Famer?  

The 2024 Hall of Fame class is a great mix of expected and surprising inclusions. Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia were no-brainers, each leaving an indelible mark on the game with Ichiro’s international impact and Sabathia’s durability and leadership. Billy Wagner’s election, however, is a bit more surprising, given the historical bias against relievers, but his dominance as one of the best closers of his era—boasting over 400 saves and a career K/9 rate that’s off the charts—finally earned him his due.  

Only Mariano Rivera has ever been unanimously chosen to the Baseball Hall of Fame, which is incredible to consider. Not Ruth Babe. No, not Hank Aaron. Not even Ted Williams, the great one. Just Rivera, who was just a chilly, game-altering closer. The one less vote that Ichiro Suzuki and Derek Jeter got is part of a broader trend in which baseball writers are reluctant to award unanimous votes, even to the game’s greatest players, for whatever reason. However, it appears like Shohei Ohtani may break that trend in the future. He is nearly too ideal to ignore due to his exceptional hitting and pitching abilities.  

Along with Juan Soto’s extraordinary discipline and technique, Aaron Judge‘s strength and reliability are already arguing for the Hall. What about pitchers like Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in the future? Both have resumes that are deserving of the Hall of Fame, but they will have to prove themselves to get a unanimous vote. Still, Ohtani is a unique individual. Unless someone chooses to ignore the facts, which would be difficult to convince, it’s difficult to envision any writer resisting the impulse to make him the next consensus choice.