Entering only his second World Series, Shohei Ohtani has delivered performances worthy of all the superlatives. Just recently, Yankees legend Alex Rodriguez bestowed the highest honor on the Japanese sensation. “Apologies to cricket and soccer, but Ohtani is the most recognized athlete in the world.” He couldn’t have been more correct here. Now, as he fuels a surge in international baseball interest, MLB officials are collaborating with the players’ union and LA28 organizers to finalize an agreement allowing major league players to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Rob Manfred described the World Baseball Classic as “our centerpiece” for international competition. With a Canadian team in the World Series and Ohtani as the sport’s global face, both ratings and merchandise sales are booming worldwide.

“Shohei has just absolutely been the greatest benefit to the game you can imagine throughout the year.” Manfred said. “In the LCS, he had probably the greatest game of all time, and we are fortunate to have him here in the World Series.” Yes, Manfred is referring to the night when the Dodgers star pitched six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts and blasted three home runs in the Dodgers’ 5-1 series-clinching win.

After that game, Shohei Ohtani was deservingly established as the first pitcher in baseball history to hit a leadoff home run in the postseason or regular season.

For the 2028 Olympics, there’s still no final agreement yet. However, for the first time in years of discussions, Rob Manfred publicly confirmed that the owners have settled on pausing the MLB season for a week to let the sport’s top players compete in the Olympics.

Among the ideas being discussed is a longer Olympic break in the 2028 season; this could feature an All-Star Game in San Francisco to keep the top players on the West Coast for two weeks, rather than traveling across the country, and a baseball schedule that might begin even before the opening ceremony.

“I am positive about it.” Manfred added. And well, with Shohei Ohtani on board, his optimism makes perfect sense.

What makes Shohei Ohtani a global sensation?

While Ohtani is yet to start a game in the World Series, last week during the fourth game of the NLCS, he led the Dodgers to a league title.

He smacked three home runs while pitching 10 strikeouts and six scoreless innings. Following the game, his teammate Mookie Betts marveled to MLB TV, “We’re like the (Chicago) Bulls and he’s Michael Jordan.”

You know, Betts was probably thinking in baseball terms, and he wasn’t wrong. Ohtani, much like Jordan in his prime, is single-handedly turning his team into a perennial championship contender.

That’s where the comparison breaks down. Ohtani will always be a sports superstar, but matching Jordan’s cultural impact is another story. He doesn’t have the same advantages that helped Jordan become a global icon: a unified mass media, wide commercial appeal, and a sport designed to highlight individual stars.

But guess what?

Earlier this year, even ESPN MLB analyst Karl Ravech claimed on The Pat McAfee Show that Shohei Ohtani’s global recognition surpasses that of even Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. When Ravech made that claim, many were quick to shut him down, but he stood firm in his stance that Ohtani’s international fame rivals that of athletes like Tiger Woods and Muhammad Ali.

Given that it’s his second World Series appearance, winning a second straight title could simply solidify his place among the greatest athletes of all time. As Yankees legend Alex Rodriguez rightfully described, “We’re witnessing something I don’t think we’ll see again in our lifetime.” Do you think so, too?