Shohei Ohtani was a solo warrior at the Los Angeles Angels. After his blockbuster trade to the Dodgers though, some impressive narratives have started coming out. The best one was from MLB announcer Bob Costas, who compared Ohtani to the Bulls’ legend Michael Jordan. Ohtani entered free agency this off-season and teams from all sides showed interest in him. That could be a reason why Costas believes Ohtani is the modern MJ. However, there are a few who are already denying Costas’s take. 

Fox Sports commentator Ben Maller was a bit furious when he found out about the comparison. The 48-year-old shared in his podcast, “Bob Costas recently said… Shohei Ohtani will make a Michael Jordan-like impact in baseball and in Los Angeles”, but he believes there is “zero percent” chance for it to happen. Moreover, Maller boldly claimed that “There’s no way you can recreate in the modern world what Jordan had.”

Keep in mind, Maller is the same man who came under fire after his comments about Argentinian NBA legend, Manu Ginobili. Following the Spurs legend’s induction into the Naismith Memorial, the 48-year-old said, “The Hall of Fame made a mistake honoring Manu Ginobili...Nothing against him. I hear he’s a nice guy.” Only time will tell if his take on Shohei Ohtani ages like milk or wine. 

Although the Japanese pitcher is considered one of the best at the moment, he has not witnessed the playoff scenes yet. In his 6 seasons in the MLB, Ohtani has struggled to make it to the playoffs despite some historic performances. This could be a reason why Maller believes Ohtani can never be Michael Jordan. But, Costas has some valuable arguments that make sense too. 

On what basis did Bob Costas compare Shohei Ohtani with Michael Jordan? 

Jordan’s game on the court has always been spoken about a lot. But, the amount of business he brought into the NBA is another reason why he is considered an icon even today. Bob Costas used that to justify his argument.

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The 71-year-old shared, “Michael Jordan was an asset to the entire NBA, not just to the Chicago Bulls…If you’re talking about baseball overall, and Ohtani at this point is about as close to what Michael Jordan was.” The Japanese star’s free agency can be considered an example of the attraction he holds in the MLB.

Furthermore, Bob Costas added, “So this is the best chance for Ohtani, to be in a very big market, with all sorts of marketing possibilities, surrounded by Hollywood.” Also, there are high hopes that the 29-year-old can make it to the postseason at last. Even his chance for the World Series are looking positive.

First Shohei Ohtani, Now Yoshinobu Yamamoto: How Two Japanese Stars Brought the Free Agency Market to a Standstill

Do you think Shohei Ohtani can bring the Michael Jordan effect to baseball? Share your take in the comments below.