On an unforgettable night on October 17, 2025, Shohei Ohtani led the Los Angeles Dodgers to a commanding 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS), completing a series sweep and securing their World Series berth. As the starting pitcher, Ohtani dominated for six and a third scoreless innings, striking out 10 batters while allowing just three hits, earning the win on the mound. Simultaneously, as the designated hitter, he smashed three towering home runs: one to open the game in the first inning, another that ricocheted off the stadium roof, and a third that sealed his historic performance. These homers accounted for most of the Dodgers’ runs, showcasing his unparalleled ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball and breaking out of a postseason slump where he had managed only three hits in 29 prior at-bats.

The reactions were immediate and effusive. Brewers reliever Trevor Megill stated officially, “The guy did it all,” acknowledging Ohtani’s overwhelming versatility that dismantled Milwaukee’s strategy. In his post-game press conference, Ohtani remained humble: “This time it was my turn to perform. Looking back at the whole postseason, I think it’s just Shohei being Shohei.” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called it “a performance that redefines modern baseball,” while TBS analysts Pedro Martínez and Jimmy Rollins emphasized how Ohtani “took complete control of the game,” comparing him to legends for his two-way dominance. This performance earned him the NLCS MVP award, adding to his three previous regular-season MVP honors.

Historically, Ohtani’s performance evokes Babe Ruth, the last player to combine multiple home runs with dominant strikeouts in a postseason game, but Ohtani surpasses him by hitting three homers while maintaining a shutout until the seventh inning. In the context of 2025, Ohtani had already made history as the first player to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season, but this game elevates his legacy to unprecedented heights. Analysts agree that performances like this not only position him as the greatest two-way player since Ruth but also challenge the boundaries of human athletic performance, with three homers and 10 strikeouts in a single playoff game. His impact transcends baseball, sparking debates about whether his versatility makes him a singular athlete in the modern era.

In the eyes of experts and fans alike, Shohei Ohtani is not only the greatest baseball player of the current era but potentially of all time, surpassing icons like Ruth or Willie Mays due to his ability to excel in both pitching and hitting in an age of specialization. Some argue he could be the greatest athlete in any sport, comparable to figures like Michael Jordan or Serena Williams for his absolute dominance and ability to redefine physical and strategic limits. As the debate rages on, performances like the one on October 17 confirm that Ohtani is writing an unrepeatable chapter in sports history.