Shohei Ohtani's ex-Angels teammate, Justin Upton, breaks down why Dodgers superstar is a once-in-a-lifetime talent

Shohei Ohtani is already dubbed the modern-day Babe Ruth. Many believe a player of Ohtani's caliber will never be seen again, considering his impact as a slugger and a pitcher.

Othani's former Angels teammate, Justin Upton, is one such person. A four-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Upton played for five teams in 13 years in the big leagues - Diamondbacks, Braves, Padres, Tigers, Angels and Mariners.

Upton, on Monday's episode of the Diggin Deep podcast, hosted by World Series champions Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer, heaped praise on Ohtani.

"I don't think you can really appreciate Shohei unless you see it every day," Upton said (48:00).

"Like his routine is insane. When he's doing both, when he's not hurt, pitching, like his day is crazy. And for him to be able to shoulder that load and be the best player in baseball is, we'll never, I don't think we'll ever see it in our lifetime again."

Upton shared the intricacies of Shohei Ohtani's preparation to play as a two-way player. Having played with Ohtani for five years, from 2017 to 2021, Upton had a firsthand account of Ohtani's actions.

"Because to go into the field, be a pitcher for the first three hours where you're going through your shoulder stuff, then you go get your lift in or throw your bullpen, and then flip it, go have some lunch, and then go be a hitter? Later that night, get your BP in, come in, prepare for the game, and then go out there and hit, have four at-bats," Upton added.

Despite Ohtani having a challenging task at hand, Upton pointed out that the Japanese superstar does it perfectly every day, which he attributes to his performances in the ballpark at the highest level.

Max Muncy highlights Shohei Ohtani's off-field personality

Despite being the global face of the MLB, Shohei Ohtani has a humble demeanor, which is another reason why fans like him. Almost all of his teammates speak highly of Ohtani, especially his personality.

Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy shared insights about Ohtani's personality, in an interview with Dodgers Nation's Doug Mckain.

"He’s awesome. He’s a lot of fun. He loves to joke around and he loves to play little pranks on everybody. He’s always smiling and laughing and having a good time," Muncy said.

Expand Tweet

Muncy described Shohei Ohtani as "a little kid who is better than everybody," and that Ohtani always cracks jokes, which makes Muncy be around the Japanese superstar.

About the author

Safeer M S is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda, having delved into the sport professionally since 2024. His journey into baseball was sparked by Shohei Ohtani’s remarkable MLB performances, which ignited his passion for the game. Safeer’s enthusiasm for fantasy baseball further fueled his engagement with the sport.

Safeer supports baseball stars like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and Aaron Judge, with Shohei Ohtani's dual-threat dominance being his most memorable baseball moment. He admires Willie Mays for his athleticism and historic achievements in pinch-hitting and stealing bases.

In addition to his baseball expertise, Safeer is deeply passionate about combat sports, which he has been reporting on since 2022. His journey into combat sports began with Karate lessons in school, followed by boxing training. Films like Rocky 4, Never Back Down, and Warrior inspired his love for MMA, and witnessing Demetrious Johnson's victory over Kyoji Horiguchi solidified his commitment to the sport.

When not immersed in sports, Safeer enjoys playing football, working out, and watching anime or thriller movies.

Know More

Edited by Bhargav