Ex-Mets GM snubs Shohei Ohtani for $288.7M superstar in fantasy baseball draft

With the 2025 MLB season all but underway, Shohei Ohtani is once again set to be a very popular choice in the fantasy baseball draft. Extremely influential both as a hitter and a pitcher, Ohtani has every chance of being at the center of the action whenever he is on the field.

According to former Mets general manager Steve Phillips, however, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who signed an 11-year, $288.7 million contract extension with the Kansas City Royals in February 2024, may prove to be a smarter choice.

"In most drafts, what they do is, you take Shohei Ohtani and you have to decide each week if he's going to be a pitcher or a hitter. I don't know how you would ever take Ohtani and make him your pitcher for the week, I just wouldn't do it, and give up his offense," Steve Phillips said, via Fantasy Sports Radio

"So, I would take Bobby Witt (Jr.) over Ohtani with my first pick of the draft. I would. A lot of other people have taken Ohtani, but I think Jens (Jensen Lewis, MLB analyst) and I agree, we would take Bobby Witt (Jr.)," Phillips added

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Alex Rodriguez credits Shohei Ohtani for 'uniting' American and Japanese fans through shared love for baseball

According to legendary shortstop Alex Rodriguez, Shohei Ohtani, one of the most popular players in world baseball, is a key reason for 'uniting' American and Japanese baseball fans.

Taking to Instagram to talk about how the two nations' love for baseball leads to a 'great partnership,' A-Rod said:

"One of the interesting things about Japan is how much they love baseball. I was just there a few months ago. It's such a great partnership between Japan and the US, it's the love for baseball," Rodriguez said.

Further, he spoke about how Shohei Ohtani's superstardom in both countries is an important reason for the same.

"And Shohei Ohtani sits right in the middle of it. I mean to think that we had 75 million people watching just last year in the Baseball Classic when Japan played the US and Ohtani struck out Mike Trout. It was one of the most memorable at-bats," Rodriguez added.

The Japanese people's love for Shohei Ohtani was on full display in the Dodgers' season-opening series against the Chicago Cubs, which took place in Tokyo.

With thousands of fans turning up to watch their national hero in action, Ohtani was once again at his mercurial best, batting .375 in the two games, registering a home run and an RBI.