Shohei Ohtani has broken multiple records during his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the historic performance has caught the attention of Matt Kemp, among others.
“There’s a lot of different guys. Of course Freddie (Freeman) is my favorite. I played with him in Atlanta and he’s here now. He’s one of my favorite players. Of course Mookie (Betts), (Shohei) Ohtani, I could name all the Dodger players as my favorites,” Kemp recently answered when asked who he enjoys watching play.
Ohtani’s brilliance hasn’t quite been on full display this year as he’s recovering from a second career Tommy John surgery.
“Ohtani is a different cat,” Kemp marveled. “He’s still hitting bombs. Oh, I can’t pitch? OK, I’m going to hit 50.”
Kemp predicted Ohtani would easily achieve the “very difficult” feat of 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in the same season. Ohtani went on to do so, becoming the sixth player in MLB history to join the 40-40 club and the first ever for the Dodgers.
Kemp nearly had his own 40-40 season, but he fell just short with 39 home runs during 2011. The Dodgers played 161 games that year because of a rainout with the Washington Nationals.
“If we would’ve played 162, I was hot at the end. I would’ve hit a home run,” Kemp said. “But it didn’t happen, so it is what it is. It’s special what Ohtani is doing.
“Nobody has ever seen anything like that. As a position player or pitcher, if you get hurt, you don’t get to bring value to your team. But if he gets hurt as a pitcher he can go be a hitter and bring just as much value. He’s different. I’ve got to get a jersey signed by him. Have to. I’ve got to.”
When will Shohei Ohtani pitch again?
While Ohtani has continued to make steady progress with his rehab process, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes became the latest member of the front office to shut down the notion that the 29-year-old would pitch at any point this years.
Gomes specifically ruled out Ohtani taking the mound in the postseason.
What may occur, however, is Ohtani facing batters at some point in a simulated game.
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