How Good Has Shohei Ohtani Been As a Pitcher?

Baseball's most exciting star has unlocked yet another level.

Shohei Ohtani continued his excellent run of pitching with a gem on Wednesday night. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Shohei Ohtani has founded two different 50-50 clubs over the past two seasons. In 2024 he became the first player in the history of baseball to cross the half-century mark in both home runs and stolen bases. For an encore, he did what he always does and found a new way to amaze by becoming the sole member of the 50-homer, 50-strikeout crew. There was no rust in his return to the mound after being forced to pause his dual-threat dominance while he recovered from a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder.

This season, at full health and clearly inspired to keep pushing the boundaries of what is capable, Ohtani is making an argument to be called the best hurler in the sport. Seven scoreless innings against the Giants on Wednesday night earned Ohtani his third victory of the year and dropped his ERA to 0.82. No one in the National League has been stingier when it comes to surrendering runs and no one has a better ERA+. Ohtani has collected 50 strikeouts compared to 11 walks and has held opponents to two home runs in 44 innings.

Dave Roberts's decision to keep his slugger out of the lineup when he starts has proven itself to be a masterstroke. Though no one in the history of the game has been juggling both disciplines, the new and improved Ohtani numbers speak for themselves.

So much has been written about this unicorn's abilities, and rightfully so. But one thing that can get lost in the sauce is just how good of a pitcher he's been since coming over to Major League Baseball. His exploits at the plate get more attention because people still, at their core, really dig the longball. Yet strip all of that away and imagine a world where Ohtani is only a key cog in a rotation.

The stats are still really impressive.

Over 107 starts in his seven-year career, Ohtani is now 42-22 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.058 WHIP. He's amassed 720 punchouts versus 193 free passes. For context, Baseball Reference lists his most similar comp as the late Jose Fernandez. The Marlins ace burst onto the scene and announced skill by posting a 38-17 record and 2.58 ERA before his death in 2016. Also listed is the Rays' Shane McClanahan, who has the same record as Fernandez and a 2.27 ERA through 82 years of what's looking to be a stellar career.

It's not accurate to say that Ohtani has done this quietly because nothing he does isn't breathlessly covered. Yet it is quite astounding to consider what he'd be had he never touched a bat.

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