In 2021, Shohei Ohtani delivered a season that left MLB—and the world—stunned. As a two-way player excelling both on the mound and at the plate, Ohtani brought the “dual-threat” style back to life, earning unanimous MVP honors and an All-Star appearance, becoming the hottest star in Major League Baseball.

Like all players who reach the pinnacle of fame, Ohtani inevitably drew comparisons to past MLB legends with similar accomplishments. From Babe Ruth, the original two-way player, to Bryce Harper, who won unanimous MVP honors in 2015, Ohtani's name has been mentioned alongside some of the sport’s greatest stars.

A modern superstar with the potential to reshape the game, Ohtani’s rise in MLB has drawn inevitable parallels to another Japanese superstar who took the league by storm 20 years earlier: Ichiro Suzuki. After debuting in 2001 and winning both Rookie of the Year and MVP, Ichiro redefined expectations for Japanese players in the majors. With so much in common, the debate among fans over who had a greater impact on MLB is ongoing.

In ELAND Magazine's first edition of “What’s Worth More?”, we’ll dive into a deep analysis of both players, looking beyond stats to evaluate their achievements, characteristics, and popularity to determine which player’s season had a more lasting impact.

#1. Season Performance

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani was the epitome of a power hitter. Despite a modest .257 batting average, he posted a .965 OPS and crushed 46 home runs, showcasing his strength at the plate. While his offensive numbers alone might not scream “superstar,” Ohtani is a unique player who also excels on the mound. That same season, he went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and struck out 156 batters, making him one of the top pitchers in the league. When you combine his performance as both a hitter and a pitcher, Ohtani’s WAR (Wins Above Replacement) reached a staggering 9.1 (4.9 as a hitter, 4.2 as a pitcher), handling 1,172 plate appearances* all on his own.

*Typically, a full-time position player will handle around 400 plate appearances in a season, meaning Ohtani’s workload was more than three times that of a regular player.

On the other hand, Ichiro Suzuki is regarded as the pinnacle of the old-school leadoff hitter in modern baseball. His mastery of contact hitting, defense, and baserunning set him apart. In his debut season, Ichiro racked up 242 hits, stole 56 bases, and posted a .350 batting average, leading the league in batting average, hits, and stolen bases. His WAR of 7.7 underscored his status as one of the league’s top performers.

#2. Achievements

Ohtani’s successful revival of the “two-way player” concept, something many believed was lost to baseball’s past, evokes memories of Babe Ruth’s romantic era. Yet, Ohtani didn’t just dabble in both roles—he excelled, serving as his team’s ace on the mound and batting second as a key hitter.

"Ohtani is breaking baseball."
- MLB.com

Ohtani’s unprecedented achievements in 2021 earned him unanimous MVP honors, the first player to do so since Bryce Harper in 2015. In another historic first, Ohtani became the only player in the 88-year history of the All-Star Game to be selected as both the starting pitcher and leadoff designated hitter. He also set a new record for home runs by an Asian player and was named to the All-MLB First Team as a hitter and Second Team as a pitcher—the first player ever to be honored in both categories.

Ichiro, on the other hand, shattered preconceived notions about Asian hitters in MLB. Before his arrival, few believed a slight-framed Japanese player could endure the grueling 162-game season and succeed in the majors.

"If Ichiro wins the batting title, I'll run naked through Times Square."
- Baseball analyst Rob Dibble, in an interview with Seattle manager Lou Piniella

But after batting over .300 in spring training and recording a 23-game hitting streak early in the season, Ichiro appeared on the cover of the June issue of Sports Illustrated, creating a sensation across America. In the All-Star voting, he received 3.37 million votes, outpacing the second-place player by 800,000 votes.

Ichiro became the first player since Fred Lynn in 1975 to win both Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in the same season.

#3. The Impact

Shohei Ohtani drew significant attention from both Japan and the U.S. as a two-way player when he joined MLB in 2018. By 2021, after proving that his dual-threat abilities were no illusion, Ohtani’s popularity soared worldwide.

Ohtani topped Japan’s 2021 survey of the most popular male athletes, and his jersey was the ninth best-seller across MLB. Fanatics, the company that handles MLB merchandise, reported that Ohtani accounted for 28% of all All-Star merchandise sales. His economic impact in Japan for 2021 was estimated at $2.1 billion by Kansai University professor Katsuhiro Miyamoto.

Unlike Ohtani, Ichiro’s success came as a surprise to many. But his unprecedented performance quickly became a sensation in Seattle and across America, soon spreading to his home country of Japan. Attendance records were shattered daily in 2001, and the influx of Japanese fans to Seattle boosted hotel reservations by 20%.

Ichiro-themed merchandise sold out regularly, and the Seattle home stadium even introduced a sushi roll named "Ichirolls" in his honor. Economic experts estimated that Ichiro would bring $100 million in economic benefits to Seattle over five years.

Ichiro’s every move became a headline-grabber, with one Japanese tabloid even offering $1 million for a nude photo of him.

"It's like Princess Diana playing baseball."
- ESPN reporter

These two Japanese Major League players made a global impact in different eras. Which of their memorabilia is more valuable? The answer might depend on Ohtani’s future achievements, but ultimately, the judgment lies with the fans.

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