Ohtani v. Ruth: Who Is Baseball’s GOAT?

A person pointed out on Quora that after their first 716 games, Shohei Ohtani and Babe Ruth had both hit 176 home runs and that after their first 481.2 inning of pitching, Ohtani had a 38-19 record, while Ruth’s record was 37-19.  He went on to ask if Ohtani was the best baseball player ever. Although this is a fascinating comparison, the suggestion that Ohtani might be baseball’s GOAT is ludicrous.

Ruth hit 176 home runs by age 26 during the dead ball era. Throughout the 1920s, he often hit more home runs than entire opposing teams. Moreover, Ruth went on to hit 538 more home runs. To catch Ruth, the 29-year-old Ohtani would have to average 53.8 home runs for the next ten years. The most he has hit in a season so far in 46. Moreover, he would need to average 175.7 RBIs for the next decade to catch Ruth.

Consider other factors. Ruth has a .342 career average, whereas Ohtani’s is .277. Ruth’s slugging percentage is .690 compared to Ohtani’s .559. Ruth’s OPS is 1.164 versus Otani’s .927. Ruth’s ERA is 2.28, while Ohtani’s is 3.01. Ruth ended with a career pitching record of 94-46; he went 57-25 in his last 82 decisions, a winning percentage of .695. Ohtani’s career winning percentage is .667.

To match or exceed Ruth’s records, Ohtani will have to play at a superlative level until age 39. He will certainly never reach Ruth’s career batting average. Ohtani has immense talent, and he is the first player since Ruth to excel on the mound and at the plate. Based on these factors, however, the suggestion that Ohtani might be baseball’s GOAT is ridiculous.