The Unhated Superstar: Shohei Ohtani
How the Japanese sensation became the first member of baseball’s 50/50 club while evading the usual scrutiny faced by sports icons
The definition of a “superstar” is fluid, shifting over time. At its core, it refers to transcendental athletes whose impact extends beyond the field, establishing themselves as cultural icons.
Yet, we often find ourselves hating on our superstars. Figures like David Beckham, LeBron James, and countless others have fallen victim to this phenomenon. The media gains far more traction from hit pieces than writing letters of reverence, and we, as fans, readily consume this negativity. We fault great athletes for failing to match the picture-perfect potential we believe they should actualize. Fortunately for Shohei Ohtani, the old adage rings true in baseball: succeeding only three out of ten times makes one an all-time great.
Ohtani has carved a new path as a one-of-a-kind generational superstar. Whether due to his genuine respect for the game, the public’s apathy towards baseball, or his other-worldly talent, Shohei finds himself in a unique spot: a superstar with zero haters.
Posting the first ever 50/50 season in MLB history1, the star has built an aura matched only by legends like Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, Wayne Gretzky, and Michael Jordan.
One reason for baseball fans’ reverence for Ohtani is his class on the field. While he isn’t devoid of passion for the game, he avoids the excessive celebrations and “overly-pimped” bat flips that a baseball purest, at times, takes exception to.
On top of this, his language barrier and reliance on a translator limit his access to American media. Major sports outlets like Fox Sports or ESPN often twist soundbites and quotes, creating narratives that can misrepresent an athlete. Without the ability to twist Shohei’s words, similar to the way the media twists Nikola Jokic’s quotes to produce the “he doesn’t love the game” narrative, Ohtani avoids a lot of what's wrong with today's media.
Furthermore, the media rarely covers baseball anymore. Outside of local radio, MLB Network and the occasional House of Highlights post, baseball has been relegated to the darkest corners of modern sports talk. This is in no way an emerging trend, as the game has been in decline since the 90s, evidenced by dwindling World Series ratings. And while there’s a multitude of factors for this, including the NBA’s emergence as America’s second-favorite pass-time, or the ongoing dominance of the NFL, it feels as though the MLB has been missing transcendental star power since the Steroids Era.
With Shohei, fans witness not just a dual-threat pitcher and batter but also a statistically dominant foreign-born player. Similar to Ichiro, who moved the needle for baseball both internationally and domestically, Ohtani introduces a fresh excitement and nuance that baseball desperately needs. His presence resonates in a way akin to NBA stars like Dirk Nowitizki, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Nikola Jokic—when a sport embraces figures who enhance its brand in global markets, it reinvigorates its appeal among younger fans.
Shohei’s name resonates from Fenway Park to Dodger Stadium, all the way to Mizusawa, Japan. With this recognition comes by far the biggest endorsement earnings; Ohtani is projected to make around $65 million this year, according to Sportico.
Having already cemented himself in the annals of fabled sports history alongside Ruth, Bonds, Jordan, and Bo Jackson, Ohtani represents an athlete who must be experienced in real-time to be fully appreciated. As a Giants fan, its hard to admit any sort of affinity for a Dodger, but one cannot help but tip their cap to Shohei Ohtani.
