Mike Francesa tries to defend old comment predicting Shohei Ohtani's failure: "I hadn't seen him play yet"

Back in 2018, sports radio talk show host Mike Francesa predicted failure for Los Angeles Angles two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani. He did so on Chris “Mad Dog” Russo’s show High Heat.

In 2018, Ohtani made his MLB debut with the Angels. His previous seasons were plagued with injuries which in turn had an effect on his performance on the diamond.

Speaking about Ohtani, Francesa said:

"The Yankees are lucky they didn't get him."

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani started showcasing his skills, becoming the first player in the history of the league to be named an All-Star both as a hitter and a pitcher in the same season.

He also bagged the award of the American League’s Most Valuable Player (AL MVP) and became the first two-way star to have done so. Ohtani also secured a Silver Slugger Award for being the best hitter in the AL.

By then Mike Francesa was regretting his comments. On "The Mike Francesa Podcast," the show host tried to defend his old comment, which is considered by many to be one of the worst takes of all time.

Francesa said:

"I hadn't seen him play yet."

How has Angels ace Shohei Ohtani been performing this season?

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 21, 2023, in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Shohei Ohtani is playing blistering baseball in the 2023 season. He has a record of 9-5 along with a 3.43 ERA and 156 strikeouts as a pitcher. Ohtani also has a .296 batting average with a league-leading 36 home runs along with 77 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.

Shohei Ohtani is the clear frontrunner for the AL MVP award.

The real question, however, is regarding his future. The Angels are highly unlikely to be able to keep Ohtani from hitting free agency at the end of the season, so do they trade him now and recoup some value, or hold onto him and risk losing him for nothing?