After Shohei Ohtani hit his third homer, just minutes after finishing six scoreless innings on the mound, the superlatives started rolling in. His Friday outing was widely viewed as a top-tier athletic feat. Delivering a performance of a lifetime, the two-way star became the third player ever to hit three homers in a game in which he was a starting pitcher. While many across the league are still hailing him as one of the greatest of all time, one WFAN personality isn’t convinced.

Speaking with SNY, Sal Licata decreed that Shohei Ohtani is not as impressive as Yankees star Aaron Judge.

“I dare question the greatness of baseball legend and Lord Shohei Otani, the unicorn, the titan, the two-way terror of Major League Baseball.” He said.

Further, he added, “Six shutout innings pitched with ten strikeouts, three massive home runs hit in the same game. Impressive, sure, for what was basically an exhibition affair. Hitting while occasionally pitching is as spectacular as actually playing the field, like a certain mammoth stalwart, Sir Aaron Judge of the Bronx. I decree this egregiousness on this, the 20th day of October in the year 2025.”

To put Ohtani’s Friday performance in simpler terms, he took the mound for most of the game and gave up the fewest runs possible. At the plate, he had four chances and delivered perfectly in three, while the fourth ended with a walk. However, Licata’s argument is beyond one game. He believes the reigning NL MVP’s dual role as a hitter and occasional pitcher doesn’t match the spectacle of Aaron Judge’s consistent fielding prowess.

The 33-year-old Aaron Judge delivered one of his finest seasons yet, slashing .331/.457/.688 and leading the league in all three categories. Across 152 games, he crushed 53 home runs, drove in 114 RBIs, and topped the American League in both walks (124) and runs scored (137).

Even in limited postseason action, Judge remained unstoppable, hitting .500 with a .581 on-base percentage and seven RBIs in seven games.

Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani continued redefining what’s possible in baseball. On October 17, 2025, he made history in Game 4 of the NLCS, striking out 10 over six scoreless innings and smashing three home runs — the first pitcher ever to achieve that in a single game. The performance reignited the debate over who stands as baseball’s true generational talent, showcasing Ohtani’s unprecedented two-way brilliance against Judge’s unmatched consistency and power.

In contrast to Licata’s take, Yankees legend CC Sabathia had shared his ultimatum of who’s the greatest of all time back on Friday. Right after witnessing the Dodgers star, Sabathia noted on X, The best baseball player ever because…enjoy the Sho!” Having spent years with the Yankees organization, Sabathia never said the same for Aaron Judge. To him, Aaron Judge is among the very best hitters of this generation. But again, Ohtani is, arguably, one of the most unique players ever.

Analysts share their views on Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani really had the entire world on him after his Friday’s performance. If you ask Jeff Passan from ESPN, he sees the Dodgers star as “the best player on the planet” and “one of the greatest athletes in the world.” Yes, not just in baseball, but across all the sports!

On the other hand, MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince is also convinced. He called Ohtani “the greatest baseball player ever” after witnessing his regular season and NLCS heroics.

FOX Sports, on the other hand, wanted to end the debate once and for all. Feeling the same adrenaline postgame, they declared, “Full stop. End of discussion. Ohtani is the best ever to do it.”

However, according to experts like MLB Hall-of-Famer Derek Jeter, he’d advise caution before crowning Shohei Ohtani the greatest of all time. Jeter has no doubts over Ohtani’s incredible talent. He believes that Ohtani needs to maintain this elite level for years to truly earn the title of the greatest. For the same, he gave examples of legendary figures like Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays, who set high standards over long careers.

Jeter believes they all have built their legacies over long and consistent careers. Moreover, it’ll be the Los Angeles Dodgers’ fifth trip to the Fall Classic in nine years. We all are certainly counting down the days until Shotime hits the stage.