Mookie Betts Compares the Dodgers to the Chicago Bulls After Shohei Ohtani’s Spectacular Performance
In a historic night for the Dodgers, Mookie Betts did not hesitate to compare the team to the legendary Chicago Bulls, highlighting the masterful performance of Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese player starred in a display that many cataloged as the best in baseball history. Ohtani shone both on the mound and at the plate, pitching six scoreless innings and striking out 10 batters. In addition, he hit three home runs, one of them possibly out of the stadium, leading the Dodgers to a decisive victory that secured their place in the National League Championship Series.The 5-1 victory in Game 4 of the NLCS left his teammates in awe. Enrique Hernández highlighted Ohtani’s exceptionalism, while Max Muncy did not hesitate to state that it was the best individual performance he has seen in baseball. Ohtani came to the game after a period of underperformance, but proved he was in top form. His ability to excel as both a pitcher and a hitter made him the center of attention. Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates believes that focusing on pitching allowed Ohtani to “be an athlete at the plate” and “just play baseball”. Ohtani made history by being the first player in Major League history to hit two home runs as a pitcher in a postseason game, and even more impressively, three. He also broke a record by hitting more home runs than hits allowed (two). In addition, no pitcher had hit a leadoff home run, and no player had achieved three home runs as a batter and 10 strikeouts as a pitcher. Ohtani is the first in Dodgers history to hit a home run as a pitcher in the postseason. On the road to the 2024 championship, the Dodgers reinforced their roster with star players, generating high expectations for the following season. Despite a promising start, the team experienced ups and downs during the regular season. However, in the playoffs, the Dodgers showed their true potential, surpassing the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies, and dominating the Brewers. The combination of pitchers like Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Ohtani resulted in an impressive 0.63 ERA in the NLCS. The team was relentless, with a combined record of 9-1 and a 1.40 ERA in 10 playoff games. Ohtani, after a 12-day rest, showed his best level from the start of the game. The team and coaches immediately recognized that Ohtani had arrived with his best performance. In his first at-bat, Ohtani hit a 446-foot home run. Dodgers president Stan Kasten highlighted the exceptional nature of his performance. Ohtani continued his dominance in the game, demonstrating his ability both on the mound and at the plate. In the fourth inning he hit a 469-foot home run. Then, he struck out four consecutive batters. In the seventh inning, Ohtani hit an impressive hit that traveled 113.6 mph, ensuring a masterful performance.It’s like we’re the Chicago Bulls and he’s Michael Jordan.
Mookie Betts
The 2025 Dodgers are the first team since the 2009 Phillies to return to the World Series one year after winning it. The Dodgers are the only team to have benefited from such a performance. In MLB history, only one player has simultaneously achieved 10 strikeouts and three home runs in the same game. Ohtani’s performance has been truly unique.That was probably the best postseason performance of all time. There are a lot of postseason games. And there’s a reason why he’s the best player on the planet.
Dave Roberts
There is only one person who can do that in the world, and in the history of this game, and that’s him. He is who he is for a reason.
Enrique Hernandez
