Shohei Ohtani, the celebrated two-way player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, recently marked his 32nd birthday, prompting a comparative analysis of his career against that of baseball legend Babe Ruth at the same age. Ohtani, widely regarded as the greatest two-way player of the modern era, has already amassed a career often described as Hall of Fame-worthy.
When Babe Ruth reached the age of 32 in 1927, he was a 14-year veteran of Major League Baseball. In contrast, Ohtani is currently in his ninth year in the league. Ruth also had a longer tenure as a two-way player, spanning 10 seasons. He initially played as a two-way player for the Red Sox for six seasons, then continued this dual role with the Yankees from 1920 to 1921, and again in 1930 and 1933.
At 32, Ruth had already achieved significant milestones. He was a five-time World Series champion, securing three titles with the Boston Red Sox and two with the New York Yankees. He had also earned one American League MVP Award in 1923. His career statistics at that point included a .349 batting average, 416 home runs, and 1,262 runs batted in over 1,501 games.
Ohtani, nearly a century after Ruth, has played nine MLB seasons. He has won two World Series championships with the Dodgers in 2024 and 2025. Ohtani is a four-time MVP award winner, with two MVP titles in the American League during his time with the Angels, and two with the Dodgers. His career batting average stands at .282, with 298 home runs and 719 RBIs in 1,099 games.
As a pitcher, Ohtani has played for seven years, though his career on the mound has been impacted by two Tommy John surgeries. In his pitching career, he holds a record of 47-22 with a 2.83 earned run average, 765 strikeouts in 114 appearances, and one shutout. For comparison, through Ruth's first seven years as a pitcher, he compiled an 89-46 record, a 2.19 ERA, 439 strikeouts in 148 appearances, and 16 shutouts.