Barry Bonds is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in MLB history. The seven-time NL MVP recently appeared on the ALL THE SMOKE podcast, where he praised Shohei Ohtani while sharing how the Los Angeles Dodgers star has it easier than him.
The MLB’s all-time home run king stated:
“The pitching and hitting has been outstanding for what he’s done and baserunning. He’s a complete player. There’s no doubt about the type of player he is and what he’s accomplished in his career. The game has just changed. The game is way different than it was when I played. The same way Michael [Jordan] talks about it or anybody does. Ohtani is not going to hit two home runs without seeing one go right here in my generation. I don’t care what he does. He’s not going to steal two bases without someone decapitating his kneecap to slow him down because it’s a different game back then.”
Check out Barry Bonds’ comments on Shohei Ohtani (starting at the 39:51 mark):
Bonds added that hitters take batting practice much more often nowadays. He noted that players now also can get away with things like bat flips and trotting around the bases without repercussions. The 14-time All-Star added that players in his era would likely end up in the hospital for similar actions.
Ohtani took home his third MVP in 2024 while also winning his first World Series. The two-way star set career highs as he hit .310 with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, and 59 stolen bases. He added a 1.036 OPS as he served exclusively as a designated hitter. The four-time All-Star is expected to return to the mound in May.
