In Los Angeles, two very different sports narratives are currently unfolding. While the Clippers enjoyed a solid 2025–26 NBA preseason with three wins, their cross-town rivals, the Lakers, struggled to gain momentum. However, the city’s other powerhouse, the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been nothing short of dominant on the baseball diamond.
The Dodgers have been on fire in the League Championship Series, sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers 4–0 to punch their ticket to the World Series. Amid this success, a bold comparison between Dodgers sensation Shohei Ohtani and a basketball icon has taken the sports world by storm.
What Comparison Has Been Made Regarding Shohei Ohtani?
Following Friday night’s emphatic win against Milwaukee, Dodgers star Mookie Betts was asked about the team’s performance, particularly Ohtani’s incredible night.
Betts didn’t hesitate. He smiled and said that Ohtani reminds him of Michael Jordan. “Greatness… I’ve said it multiple times, we’re like the Bulls and he’s Michael Jordan,” said Betts during the interview.
🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/SMner4wByS
— theScore (@theScore) October 18, 2025
The remark instantly lit up social media, and it’s a comparison that makes a lot of sense.
On Friday night, Ohtani showcased exactly why he’s hailed as a once-in-a-generation talent. In one of the most dominant postseason performances in recent memory, the Japanese superstar smashed three home runs, struck out ten batters, pitched six scoreless innings, and allowed just two hits.
Before the matchup, Ohtani hadn’t homered in eight straight appearances, but he wasted no time breaking that drought. He opened the game with three strikeouts in the first inning, then launched a 446-foot homer into the stands.
Two innings later, he went deep again and capped the night with a towering 469-foot blast that cleared the stadium. This kind of performance earned Ohtani the NLCS MVP honor.
This isn’t the first time Ohtani has drawn comparisons to “His Airness.” In August, former NBA player Jeff Teague also likened Ohtani to Jordan after another jaw-dropping outing. In that game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Ohtani struck out eight batters as a pitcher and hit a home run that drove in two.
Teague’s comment then and Betts’ statement now echo a growing sentiment across the sports world: Ohtani is baseball’s answer to Jordan. When you think about it, the comparison holds significant weight.
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After all, Jordan wasn’t just great, he redefined basketball with six NBA championships, five MVPs, and ten scoring titles. Now, Ohtani is doing the same for baseball. A true two-way phenom, he has collected two MVP awards and made history last season when he became the first player ever to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season.
As the Dodgers await the result of the American League Championship, where either the Toronto Blue Jays or Seattle Mariners will emerge as their World Series opponent next Friday, all eyes remain fixed on Ohtani.
