"Shohei Ohtani is the best baseball player ever" - Dodgers pitcher makes feelings known about Japanese teammate's legendary status

Several LA Dodgers players have taken to podcasts to talk about Shohei Ohtani this offseason. All of them had good things to say about the Japanese star who won his first World Series in 2024, followed by his third unanimous MVP.

Be it Chris Taylor, Walker Buehler and the latest Ben Casparius, all have spoken highly of the personification of Ohtani, both on and off the field. All have attested to the fact that Ohtani's work ethic inspires them on and off the camera; he is as cordial as anyone comes by despite his highly acclaimed stature and popularity.

Casparius joined Monday's edition of the "Baseball is Dead" podcast, where he revealed his first interaction with Ohtani before hailing him as the "best baseball player to ever step on the field."

"I remember walking in, and I was obviously running around, getting settled, and saying hi to everybody. I think I just dapped him up and said, 'What’s up?' and he said, 'What’s up?' Then I made my debut, and he said, 'Good job' and everything," Casparius said (1:23:54 onwards).

"But, again, he’s super, super soft-spoken and respectful. He’s not the type to be running around the clubhouse, dancing, or anything like that. I mean, it’s Shohei Ohtani, you know? You walk in, and the guy looks like a sculpture of a human being. What he does on a baseball field on a daily basis is incredible."

Ben Casparius further added that sharing the locker room and his World Series with Shohei Ohtani will be incredible to tell his grandkids one day.

"To share a locker room with him and, obviously, win a World Series in his first year as a Dodger—after everything he’s done in his career and not yet reached the pinnacle of where he wanted to be—that was super special," Casparius added.

"Personally, I think he’s the best baseball player ever to step on a field. That’s something I’m going to tell my grandkids about and brag about someday. He’s awesome."

Chris Taylor reveals Shohei Ohtani's on and off the field personality

During the season, Jack Harris of the L.A. Times conducted interviews with Dodgers teammates in an attempt to know what it's like to share a locker room with Shohei Ohtani.

Chris Taylor revealed Ohtani is cheerful off the field and enjoys playing baseball.

“[He can] be goofy and playful and look like he’s really having fun playing the game,” Taylor said. “But then also at the same time be super focused and locked in.”

This no longer is surprising given how often in live broadcasts Shohei Ohtani is known to be laser-focused, reading pitching zones on tabs, while off the field he's always very cordial with his teammates.