Shohei Otani.
Credit: Erik Drost (licensed under CC BY 2.0)

With baseball’s All-Star Game scheduled for Tuesday evening, the first half of the Major League Baseball (MLB) season is in the books. One player has already etched a historic performance in 2021, drawing comparisons to none other than the great Babe Ruth. That player is Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani has earned the nickname “Shotime” for his dazzling play at the plate, on the base paths, and even on the mound.

Ohtani is a two-way player—that is, a player who excels at both hitting and pitching. In the higher levels of professional baseball, most pitchers are highly specialized in that role at the expense of poor hitting. However, Ohtani has excelled at both during his career. He is also one of the fastest baserunners in MLB. Ohtani stands 6 feet 4 inches (193 centimeters) tall and weighs 210 pounds (95 kilograms). He bats left-handed and throws right-handed. He is a starting pitcher, pitching approximately every five days. During games in which he does not pitch, he serves as the Angels’ designated hitter (DH). A designated hitter bats during a game but does not play in the field.

In 2018, Ohtani’s first season with the Angels, he went 4-2 with a 3.31 earned run average (ERA), also collecting 22 home runs, 10 stolen bases, and a .285 batting average. He earned the American League Rookie of the Year award with his performance. Ohtani suffered an elbow injury at the end of the 2018 season that required surgery. His recovery left him unable to pitch in 2019, but he served as the Angels’ designated hitter for much of the year. He suffered a knee injury in September 2019 that also required surgery. Ohtani struggled through his recovery and a schedule disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. He reinjured his elbow after pitching in just two games.

A fully healthy Ohtani made a historic performance in the first half of the 2021 season. As a pitcher, Ohtani went 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA. He hit 33 home runs, stole 12 bases, and posted a .279 average. He hit well even during a period when offensive statistics were down across the Major Leagues.

Early in his career, Ohtani did not bat in the games he pitched. Another player would be used as the designated hitter to bat in his place. In 2021, the Angels manager Joe Maddon declined to include a designated hitter in many games in which Ohtani pitched, letting Ohtani bat for himself. Such a move was virtually unheard of, as the designated hitter rule was designed to replace the pitcher with a stronger offensive player at the plate. Ohtani was selected to the 2021 MLB All-Star Game as both a pitcher and a DH. It was the first time a player was named an All-Star as both a pitcher and a hitter. Ohtani also became the first pitcher invited to compete in the Home Run Derby, a showcase of MLB’s most powerful hitters. His exceptional two-way production was comparable only to that of Ruth, who was a two-way player during parts of the 1918 and 1919 seasons.

Ohtani was born July 5, 1994, in Oshu, Japan. His father played baseball and his mother played badminton. Shohei started playing baseball at a young age. He remained near his hometown to attend Hanamaki Higashi High School. There, he developed into the top-ranked baseball prospect in Japan. Ohtani was drafted by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), Japan’s highest professional baseball league, in 2013. He was one of the hardest-throwing pitchers and fastest runners in NPB. His batting initially lagged behind his pitching, but he produced an outstanding offensive season in 2016, hitting 22 home runs and batting .322 over 104 games.

After the end of the 2017 NPB season, Ohtani requested that the Nippon-Ham Fighters make him available to MLB teams. Under an agreement between MLB and NPB, Japanese players under 25 years of age could only sign a minor-league MLB contract and earn a league-minimum salary. Ohtani, who was 23 at the time, thus gave up the opportunity to negotiate a large MLB contract in order to enter the league at a younger age. Most of the 30 MLB teams offered to sign Ohtani. Ohtani accepted a contract from the Los Angeles Angels.

July 12, 2019

On Tuesday night, July 9, the American League (AL) topped the National League (NL) 4-3 in a crisply played Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. The AL jumped out to a 4-1 lead and held on for its seventh consecutive win. The All-Star Game features the best MLB players in a midseason interleague exhibition. Cleveland Indians right-hander Shane Bieber, pitching before an adoring home crowd, struck out three National Leaguers in the fifth inning to earn the game’s Most Valuable Player award. Events surrounding the All-Star Game were rock music themed, as Cleveland is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

The 2019 MLB All-Star Game logo honors the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, where the American League topped the National League 4-3 at Progressive Field on July 9, 2019. Credit: © Major League Baseball

Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu, a first-time All-Star, started the game for the NL, and eight-time All-Star Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros took the hill for the AL. Both sides then rolled out new arms every inning, using 18 of the 31 pitchers invited to the game. Another Dodgers left-hander, Clayton Kershaw, surrendered the game’s first run in the second inning on a double by Astros outfielder Michael Brantley, scoring fellow Astro Alex Bregman. Minnesota Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco delivered an RBI (run batted in) single in the fifth for a 2-0 AL advantage, but Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon homered in the sixth to cut the lead in half.

In the seventh inning, Oakland Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman scored on a double play and Texas Rangers slugger Joey Gallo homered to extend the AL lead to 4-1. New York Mets rookie Pete Alonso brought the NL closer with a clutch two-out, two-run single in the eighth, but New York Yankees fireballer Aroldis Chapman fanned the side in the ninth to seal the 4-3 AL victory. AL pitchers set a record by striking out 16 NL hitters, the most ever in a 9-inning All-Star game.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, seen here hitting at San Francisco’s Oracle Park, played in his eighth-straight All-Star Game on July 9, 2019. Trout wore number 45 during the game to honor his late teammate, Tyler Skaggs. Credit: Keith Allison (licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

The AL squad was led by Alex Cora, manager of the 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Sox. Dave Roberts, manager of last year’s NL champion Dodgers, led the NL side for the second-straight year. A moment of silence before the game honored Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who passed away suddenly at age 27 on July 1, 2019 (there has been no official cause of death). Angels All-Stars Mike Trout and Tommy La Stella both wore Skaggs’s number 45 on their jerseys, and all players wore a black 45 patch on their uniforms.

Major League Baseball (MLB) Logo.
Credit: © Major League Baseball

Cleveland has now hosted six All-Star games (1935, 1954, 1963, 1981, 1997, and 2019), more than any other city. In the 1997 game, a 3-1 AL victory, the AL began an era of dominance over the NL, and the American Leaguers have now won 19 of the past 23 games. Overall, however, the history is nearly even. Since the first All-Star Game in 1933, the AL has won 45 times and NL squads have won 43 (along with 2 ties). The AL has outscored the NL by a scant 3 runs (373-370) in All-Star play. There was no All-Star Game in 1945 because of World War II travel restrictions, and from 1959 through 1962, there were two All-Star games each year.

In other All-Star festivities, a pair of slugging rookies took the Home Run Derby to new heights on Monday night. The Blue Jays’ 20-year-old Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., broke the single-round home run record (40) as well as the derby total record (91), but the Mets’ phenom Alonso bested Guerrero (son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero) 23-22 in the final round for the title. On Sunday evening, the best of Minor League Baseball squared off in the All-Star Futures Game. The AL and NL future stars battled to a 2-2 tie.

July 19, 2018

On Tuesday night, July 17, the American League (AL) topped the National League (NL) 8-6 in a homer-happy Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. It was the sixth consecutive win for the AL, which took the game with 10th-inning home runs by Houston Astros teammates Alex Bregman and George Springer. The All-Star Game features the best MLB players as a midseason interleague exhibition. Bregman, a first-time All-Star in just his second full MLB season, was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

The 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. Credit: © Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer made his second-straight All-Star start for the NL—the first pitcher to do so since Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2000 and 2001. Lefty fireballer Chris Sale made his third-straight start for the AL. A Boston Red Sox All-Star in 2017 and 2018, Sale started the 2016 game as a member of the Chicago White Sox. The last pitcher to repeat three years in a row as an All-Star starter—in either league—was Philadelphia Phillies Hall of Famer Robin Roberts from 1953 through 1955. Fellow Hall of Famer Lefty Gomez, who started five of the first six All-Star games (1933-1935, 1937, and 1938), is the only other pitcher to have accomplished the feat.

Anaheim Angels outfielder Mike Trout, seen here hitting at San Francisco’s AT&T Park, hit his second career All-Star Game home run on July 17, 2018. Credit: Keith Allison (licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

Scherzer allowed a home run to New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge in the second, the first of a record 10 long balls during the game. Anaheim Angels superstar Mike Trout homered in the third for a 2-0 AL advantage, but solo dingers by Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras and Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story evened the score. The AL surged ahead 5-2 in the top of the 8th as Milwaukee Brewers bullpen phenom Josh Hader surrendered a 3-run bomb to Seattle Mariners shortstop Jean Segura. The NL refused to give in, however. Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich notched a solo shot in the bottom of the inning, and with Mariners closer Edwin Díaz on the mound in the bottom of the ninth, Cincinnati Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett stunned the crowd with a 2-run homer to tie the game at 5-5.

The All-Star Game then went into extra innings for the second straight year, but the contest was only briefly prolonged. Back-to-back AL long balls in the 10th preceded the game’s only non-homer tally (on a sacrifice fly) to make it an 8-5 game. Reds first baseman Joey Votto signaled an NL pulse with the game’s 10th and final home run in the bottom of the inning, but it was the last gasp for the National Leaguers.

Major League Baseball (MLB) Logo.
Credit: © Major League Baseball

The AL squad was led by A.J. Hinch, manager of the 2017 World Series champion Astros. Dave Roberts, manager of last year’s NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers, led the NL side. Pregame ceremonies, always elaborate at All-Star Games, were heavily military themed in the nation’s capital. After the baseball lineups were introduced, actor Bradley Cooper narrated an homage to 29 Medal of Honor recipients before a community of choirs from the District of Columbia sang the nation anthem. The Medal of Honor is the highest award for courage given by the United States military.

This year’s AL victory gave it a one-game edge in the all-time series between the leagues. Since the first All-Star Game in 1933, the AL has now won 44 times and NL squads have won 43 (along with 2 ties). The AL has outscored the NL by a scant 2 runs (363-361) in All-Star play. There was no All-Star Game in 1945 because of World War II travel restrictions, and from 1959 through 1962, there were two All-Star games each year.

In other All-Star festivities, hometown Nationals’ favorite Bryce Harper out-slugged Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber to win the Home Run Derby on Monday night. On Sunday afternoon, the best of Minor League Baseball squared off in the All-Star Futures Game. The United States future stars downed the World Team, 10-6.

July 13, 2016

Tuesday night, July 12, the powerful All-Star bats of the American League (AL) triumphed over the National League (NL) 4-2 at the Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game at PETCO Park in San Diego, California. The annual “Midsummer Classic” features the best MLB players and determines which league will have home field advantage in that year’s World Series.

Chicago Cubs star Kris Bryant (seen here at Wrigley Field) homered for the National League All-Stars, but the American League won the All-Star Game 4-2 on July 12, 2016.
Credit: MBDChicago (licensed under CC BY 2.0)

The NL jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Chicago Cubs star Kris Bryant homered off the AL starting pitcher and crosstown rival, Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox. The AL quickly rallied in the second, however, as Kansas City Royals teammates Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez each hit home runs off NL starter Johnny Cueto of the San Francisco Giants for a 3-1 lead. Hosmer drilled a run-scoring single in the third inning, as well, and the NL added a run in the fourth, but the pitching took over after that and no more All-Stars crossed home plate. The only hold-your-breath moment came in the eighth when the NL loaded the bases with two outs. Houston Astros closer Will Harris fanned St. Louis Cardinals rookie Aledmys Diaz on a 3-2 pitch to end the NL threat. Hosmer was named the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.

Much fanfare surrounded the final All-Star appearance by Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, who has announced he will retire at season’s end. Ortiz is having a superb season, capping a career that began in 1997 with the Minnesota Twins but really took off once he reached Boston in 2003. Ortiz has over 500 career home runs and 1,700 runs batted in–stats that get most players into the Hall of Fame. Ortiz started the All-Star Game at designated hitter and left for a pinch-runner in the third inning after drawing a walk.

In other All-Star festivities, Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton pounded a record 61 home runs to win the Home Run Derby on Monday. On Sunday, the best of Minor League Baseball squared off in the All-Star Futures Game. The World Team downed the United States side 11-3.

The first MLB All-Star Game was played on July 6, 1933, at Comiskey Park on Chicago’s south side. That first game, which featured legendary players Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Babe Ruth, and other Hall of Famers, was expected to be a one-time event and was thus called the “Game of the Century.” The AL beat the NL 4-2 in that game, too.