7 reasons Ohtani might really be 'the best player that's ever walked this earth'

The Shohei Ohtani magic show has been going on for so long now that we almost take him for granted. But sometimes we need to slow everything down and just marvel at the singular greatness we’re witnessing.

So that’s what we’re going to do today, fresh off another magnificent two-way performance on Wednesday, one that saw Ohtani throw six scoreless innings of two-hit ball -- lowering his ERA to 0.74 in the process -- and reach base five times.

Dodgers catcher Will Smith said it best after the game: "He's the best player that's ever walked this earth.”

That’s a bold claim, but Smith isn’t just being hyperbolic about a teammate. We offer up these facts and figures as a case in point.

• Here are Ohtani's best MLB games

• Last night’s performance seems like a good place to start. As we noted, Ohtani reached base five times while throwing six scoreless innings. It was the first time in nearly 62 years that someone recorded a scoreless start of six or more innings and reached base at least five times in the same game.

Only three others have done that in the Modern Era (1900): Hod Eller (July 30, 1920), Mel Parnell (May 23, ’51) and Mel Stottlemyre (Sept. 26, ’64).

• Amazingly, that wasn’t the first time Ohtani reached base five times in a game he pitched. He also did so as a member of the Angels on May 15, 2023.

Parnell, Wes Ferrell and Jimmy Callahan are the only other players to do that multiple times in their careers since at least 1900.

• Ohtani has a 0.74 ERA through 10 starts this season. That’s not just the lowest among pitchers with at least 60 innings this season, it’s the third-lowest of any pitcher over their first 10 starts in a given season since earned runs became an official stat in both leagues in 1913, excluding openers.

Jacob deGrom in 2021 (0.56) and Juan Marichal in 1966 (0.59) are the only pitchers who have posted a lower ERA through 10 starts.

• Here's where it really gets fun. Ohtani has paired his sub-1.00 ERA with the highest on-base percentage among NL qualifiers. He's reached base at a .420 clip this season, nearly 200 points higher than the OBP he's allowed while pitching (.224).

• In his pitching start on May 20, Ohtani hit a leadoff homer and tossed five scoreless innings against the Padres. It marked the seventh time Ohtani recorded a scoreless start on the mound and homered in the same game, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Bob Gibson for the most such games since at least 1900.

• Ohtani also hit a leadoff homer in his pitching start on May 27, a game in which he threw six no-hit innings against the Rockies. He has the only three leadoff homers by a pitcher in MLB history.

• Ohtani has allowed only seven runs (five earned) over 61 innings as a pitcher this season. He’s hit 10 home runs as a hitter.

On second thought, Smith might have been selling Ohtani short limiting him to the earthly realm.