“Needs to stay as DH,” Barry Bonds recommends Shohei Ohtani to remain as designated hitter instead of being two-way star

MLB's Home Run King, Barry Bonds wants Shohei Ohtani to stay as a DH instead of going back to being a two-way star and start pitching again.

“Needs to stay as DH,” Barry Bonds recommends Shohei Ohtani to remain as designated hitter instead of being two-way star

Barry Bonds and Shohei Ohtani (Image via Imago)

The 2024 season saw the designated hitter (DH) version of Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese international had suffered an elbow injury in August 2023 which lead to him undergoing surgery. This saw him not take the mound to pitch in the 2024 season. Barry Bonds has now recommended him to stay as the DH instead of being a two-way star.

Bonds, the MLB home run King, himself played as the designated hitter in his career. The former San Francisco Giants joined Foul Territory podcast during the 100th Baseball Writers’ Dinner in New York.

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During this discussion, Bonds was asked about Ohtani coming back to pitch next season. Reacting to this, the 14-time MLB All-Star asked why change something that is working well for him. He even mentioned that pitching could tire him out soon.

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I think he needs to stay at DH and do what he does best. (Pitching) is going to tire him out. It’s just too much on him. I think what he does and what he brings to that team right now, why change something that’s going great?

Barry Bonds said

As a DH in the 2024 season, Ohtani managed to hit 54 home runs in the regular season. He would hit 3 more in the postseason to wrap up the year with 57 home runs in total.

This was also the first time he had crossed the 50 home run mark. Previously, Ohtani had played as both as a DH and as a pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels. His previous best came during the 2021 campaign where he hit 46 home runs and had 100 RBIs. This saw him win his first unanimous MVP award.

For his performances in the 2024 campaign, Ohtani won the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter award, Hank Aaron award and the Silver Slugger award. He thus won his second straight MVP award, his third unanimous one.

Barry Bonds claims he could have been the first to achieve rare feat that Shohei Ohtani did

Both Barry Bonds and Shohei Ohtani have set multiple records in the MLB. However, Bonds thinks that there is one feat that he could have been the first one to achieve instead of Shohei Ohtani.

Barry Bonds and Shohei Ohtani
Barry Bonds and Shohei Ohtani (Image via Imago)

During the 2024 season, Ohtani became the first player to hit 50 home runs and have 50 stolen bases in the same season. He thus founded the 50-50 club.

Bonds believes that he could have been the first one to achieve this. He pointed out to the year 1994, where a strike in August canceled the remainder of the season.

I could’ve done 50/50 in 1994, the strike year. Look at the numbers, I could’ve achieved 50/50 that year.

Barry Bonds said on Foul Territory

That year Bonds had 37 home runs and 29 stolen bases. He would have required 13 more home runs and 21 more stolen bases to achieve this feat. Unfortunately, due to the strike, the season got canceled which resulted in no playoffs for the first time in ninety years that a World Series was not played.

With Ohtani set to pitch again next season, his numbers in stolen bases might could done a little a bit. It will be interesting to see how he performs as a two-way star for the Dodgers as they aim to repeat as World Series champions.