President Donald Trump drew a parallel between Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way player Shohei Ohtani and baseball legend Babe Ruth during the team's visit to the White House on Thursday. The Dodgers were honored for their 2025 World Series championship.
"He's amazing. He's amazing. Everybody loves him," Trump stated. "Last year, Shohei did what was previously unthinkable. Nobody thought it was possible. He collected his a third straight unanimous league MVP with a franchise record 55 home runs. And if you would have told me you can be the best pitcher and the best hitter at the same time, you know, Babe Ruth was pretty close to that."
Across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Ohtani hit 99 home runs and maintained a .459 batting average. While he did not pitch in 2024 following elbow surgery, he returned to the mound in 2025, posting a 2.87 ERA with 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings. Trump noted that Ohtani is the only player in MLB history with over 300 plate appearances and over 40 innings pitched in six separate seasons, a feat Babe Ruth accomplished twice.
Trump also referenced the 1920 trade of Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees, calling it the worst trade in sports history. Ruth, at 19 years old, was traded for $100,000 and a loan for Fenway Park. Trump highlighted that Ruth led the league in home runs as a pitcher, an accomplishment he attributed as unusual.
Ohtani is currently in the midst of another strong season. As of the time of the White House visit, he was batting .283 with 22 home runs and 60 RBI in 94 games. As a pitcher, he had an 8-2 record with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts, though he had recently missed a start due to a knee issue. The Dodgers aimed to secure a third consecutive World Series title in the second half of the season.