Within the fifth 12 months of his utter domination of Main League Baseball, Shohei Ohtani solely padded an already astounding résumé.
He hit 55 residence runs and led the Nationwide League in runs scored, slugging share, OPS and whole bases; he returned to pitching and posted a 2.87 ERA in 47 innings with 62 strikeouts; he turned the primary participant to hit three residence runs and strike out 10 batters in a single recreation (and it got here in a playoff recreation); he went to bat 9 instances in a World Sequence recreation and acquired on base 9 instances (tying a World Sequence file with 4 extra-base hits alongside the way in which); and he was the beginning pitcher in Recreation 7 of the World Sequence, which his Los Angeles Dodgers received to grow to be the primary repeat champion in 25 years.
Ohtani is the heavy favourite to win his fourth MVP award Thursday. (Solely Barry Bonds has received greater than three.) And with three unanimous alternatives, Ohtani is already the one participant with a couple of such choice — and there is a good probability this will probably be his fourth.
The most recent MVP honor will cap a outstanding previous 5 seasons for Ohtani, 4 of which he has spent as each among the best hitters within the recreation and among the best pitchers. The postseason run was a reminder, as Jeff Passan wrote after Ohtani’s three-homer recreation within the NLCS, “that one of many best athletes on the planet, and essentially the most gifted baseball participant ever, is taking part in proper now, doing unfathomable issues, redefining the sport in actual time.”
It raises the query: How does Ohtani’s five-year stretch evaluate to one of the best five-year runs in MLB historical past? Is that this the best ever? That is an inconceivable query to reply, however let’s discover it by selecting one participant to symbolize every decade and see how he compares to Ohtani. Whereas we’ll deal with total worth, there are different items, like championships and achievements, which are a part of the equation.
We’ll begin with Ohtani after which return to the 1900s and go decade by decade. The purpose right here is not a lot to declare the “winner” however to have a look at baseball’s finest facet by facet, so contemplate the arguments we lay out and make your individual proclamation.
Shohei Ohtani, DH/SP, 2021-25: 45.2 WAR
5-year common: .285 BA, 171 OPS+, 47 HR, 104 RBIs, 115 R, 27 SB, 6.0 WAR
4-year pitching common: 9-4, 2.84 ERA, 119 IP, 87 H, 151 SO, 151 ERA+, 3.8 WAR
Led league: 3x WAR, 2x R, 2x HR, 3x OPS
Achievements: 3x MVP, 2x WS champ, 50/50 season
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: +8.4% (Aaron Choose)
The case for Ohtani: He does all of it. He hits for energy, together with back-to-back 50-homer seasons. He steals bases, notching the primary 50/50 season in MLB historical past in 2024. He hits for common in a low-average period, rating second within the NL in 2024 and fourth within the American League in 2023.
Over the previous 5 seasons, he is second within the majors in residence runs, first in runs, fourth in RBIs, second in OPS, first in whole bases and seventh in stolen bases. Oh, and he has completed slightly pitching on the facet, going 35-17 with a 2.84 ERA. Regardless of not pitching in any respect in 2024 and never throwing that many innings in 2025, he is nonetheless 14th in pitching WAR since 2021. All instructed, his offense accounts for 30.2 WAR and his pitching for 15.2 WAR. Throw in two World Sequence titles and the three (soon-to-be 4) MVP awards to go together with the two-way efficiency and we have by no means seen something prefer it.
The case in opposition to Ohtani: As we’ll see, Ohtani’s five-year WAR whole — whereas clearly excellent — will not be on the high of this listing. It isn’t even within the high 5. Worth is worth, no additional credit score right here simply because he has been excellent on either side of the ball. And looming over his shoulder is that this reality: Choose has had the upper WAR in three of the 5 seasons:
2022: 10.8 to 9.6
2024: 10.8 to 9.2
2025: 9.7 to 7.7
Can you might have the best five-year stretch of all time when Choose is correct there placing up his personal historic seasons? Ohtani has been extra invaluable total — and, after all, has received the titles which have eluded Choose — but it surely’s shut.
OK, now let’s flip again the clock …
Honus Wagner, SS, 1905-1909: 49.2 WAR
5-year common: .349 BA, 183 OPS+, 6 HR, 93 RBIs, 101 R, 52 SB, 9.8 WAR
Led league: 5x WAR, 4x BA, 4x 2B, 2x RBI, 2x SB, 4x OPS
Achievements: 1x WS champ
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: +40.6% (Nap Lajoie)
The case for Wagner over Ohtani: Wagner could be higher recognized at present for his ultra-rare baseball card that has bought for as excessive as $7.25 million than his exploits on the sphere, however he dominated the NL within the first decade of the twentieth century, retroactively main NL place gamers in WAR all 5 seasons. The second-best place participant within the majors was approach behind Wagner, and solely pitcher Christy Mathewson got here inside even 10 WAR of Wagner’s worth over this stretch. His 1908 season is among the all-time finest: He hit .354 with a .957 OPS when the league common was .239 with a .605 OPS.
The case for Ohtani over Wagner: Wagner was quick, highly effective and a well-conditioned athlete (he was an early proponent of weightlifting, with this five-year run beginning when he was 31 years previous), however the lifeless ball period was greater than 100 years in the past and it is tough to understand how his recreation would possibly transition to completely different eras of baseball. We do not wish to go too deep into making timeline changes, however that must be a consideration in Ohtani’s favor.
Ty Cobb, CF, 1909-1913: 47.7 WAR
5-year common: .396 BA, 198 OPS+, 7 HR, 95 RBIs, 112 R, 67 SB, 9.5 WAR
Led league: 3x WAR, 5x BA, 2x RBIs, 2x SB, 4x OPS
Achievements: 1x Triple Crown, 1x MVP
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: +7.2% (Eddie Collins)
The case for Cobb over Ohtani: The person hit almost .400 over this five-year interval — together with .419 in 1911 and .409 in 1912 — that featured mushy baseballs, pitchers throwing authorized spitballs, and saggy wool uniforms soaked in grime and sweat. As Joe Posnanski put it, “As a ballplayer, Cobb was his personal species. … He was not simply the dominant participant [of his era]. He was the one one who mattered.” Cobb received a Triple Crown in 1909, and whereas residence runs had been scarce within the lifeless ball period, he nonetheless belted 79 extra-base hits in 1911, together with 47 doubles and 24 triples. He mastered the science of small ball — on the plate and on the bases. Within the first Corridor of Fame election in 1936, it was Cobb — and never Babe Ruth or Wagner — who obtained essentially the most votes.
The case for Ohtani over Cobb: As nice as Cobb was, Collins wasn’t far behind in worth on this stretch, and pitcher Walter Johnson was really forward. Joe Jackson put up related offensive numbers in 1911 (.408) and 1912 (.395). Beginning in 1912, Tris Speaker would lead the AL in WAR in three of the subsequent 5 seasons, as he was near Cobb as a hitter and higher within the subject. In different phrases, Cobb’s achievements weren’t fairly singular, even when he did it in a singular, good, aggressive vogue that was by no means forgotten.
Babe Ruth, RF/LF, 1920-24: 56.6 WAR
5-year common: .370 BA, 229 OPS+, 47 HR, 131 RBIs, 145 R, .777 SLG, 11.3 WAR
Led league: 4x WAR, 1x BA, 4x HR, 3x RBIs, 5x OPS
Achievements: 1x MVP, 1x WS champ
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: +14.3% (Rogers Hornsby)
The case for Ruth over Ohtani: You knew the Babe was going to pop up right here, and his finest five-year stretch begins along with his first season with the New York Yankees, when he elevated his personal single-season residence run file from 29 to 54 (after which to 59 in 1921). His 56.6 WAR throughout this five-year span is the best of anybody on the listing and effectively above Ohtani’s totals, achieved even with a down 12 months — for him — in 1922, when he performed 110 video games and was price 6.4 WAR after getting suspended for an unauthorized offseason barnstorming tour. He returned in 1923 to provide the best single-season WAR for a place participant on Baseball-Reference at 14.1, a 12 months he hit .393 with 41 residence runs. Let’s have a look at Ohtani publish a 14-WAR season.
The case for Ohtani over Ruth: There isn’t any doubt Ruth modified the sport, from small ball to energy ball, however even Ruth gave up pitching after lower than two full seasons of doing each in 1918 and 1919. He would lead all gamers in WAR in each five-year stretch ranging from 1920-24 by way of 1929-33, besides 1921-25, when Hornsby topped him (50.1 to 48.2). Certainly, as nice as Ruth was, Hornsby wasn’t too far behind as a hitter. From 1920 to 1924, Hornsby hit .395 with a 199 OPS+; from 1921 to 1925, he hit .402 with a 204 OPS+. Ruth additionally went simply 1-2 in World Sequence on this stretch, so Ohtani has the sting in championships.
Joe DiMaggio, CF, 1937-41: 38.7 WAR
5-year common: .350 BA, 168 OPS+, 34 HR, 138 RBIs, 121 R, .638 SLG, 7.7 WAR
Led league: 3x WAR, 2x BA, 1x HR
Achievements: 2x MVP, 4x WS champ, 56-game hit streak
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: +16.9% (Johnny Mize)
The case for DiMaggio over Ohtani: DiMaggio was the final word winner: In his 13 years within the majors, he performed in 10 World Sequence, successful 9 instances, together with going 4-for-4 on this stretch. In these 5 years, he completed second, sixth, first, third and first, respectively, within the MVP voting. He had extra residence runs than strikeouts over all 5 seasons (169 residence runs, 121 strikeouts) and holds maybe the best — or at the least essentially the most well-known — file in baseball historical past, his 56-game hitting streak in 1941.
The case for Ohtani over DiMaggio: If you dig into the superior metrics, DiMaggio’s worth simply is not fairly as spectacular as another gamers right here. This was a excessive offensive period, so DiMaggio’s adjusted OPS topped out at 185 in 1941 — a determine Ohtani matched in 2023, beat in 2024 and simply missed in 2025. DiMaggio’s whole WAR can be lowest on the listing. The Yankees received all 4 World Sequence on this interval, however DiMaggio did not hit notably effectively at .278/.316/.403 with 10 RBIs in 18 video games. Oh, and whereas Ohtani stole 59 bases in 2024, DiMaggio stole 30 in his complete profession.
Ted Williams, LF, 1941-48: 49.3 WAR
5-year common: .362 BA, 212 OPS+, 34 HR, 124 RBIs, 133 R, .508 OBP, 9.9 WAR
Led league: 4x WAR, 4x BA, 3x HR, 2x RBIs, 5x OPS
Achievements: 1x MVP, 2x Triple Crown
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: +51.2% (DiMaggio)
The case for Williams over Ohtani: Williams’ peak was interrupted by three lacking seasons whereas he served in World Warfare II (as was the case with DiMaggio), however we’ll give him credit score for his 5 consecutive seasons performed when he towered over the game, at the least in worth: an unbelievable 50% larger WAR than DiMaggio over the 5 seasons in query, the biggest hole on the listing. In 1941, he turned the final participant to hit .400. Whereas he received only one MVP award in these years, he completed second 3 times and third within the different 12 months — not successful it in both Triple Crown season or the 12 months he hit .406. Williams famously stated he needed to be often known as the best hitter who ever lived. He might need been.
The case for Ohtani over Williams: No rings. That was the knock in opposition to Williams whereas he was lively, particularly compared to DiMaggio, as Williams performed in only one World Sequence in 1946. (The Boston Purple Sox misplaced in seven video games.) He was detached within the subject and on the basepaths. Whereas Ohtani has grow to be probably the most riveting gamers within the sport — even having his canine “throw” out the primary pitch at a Dodgers recreation — Williams by no means related with the followers in the identical approach. “Although we thumped, wept, and chanted ‘We wish Ted’ for minutes after he hid within the dugout, he didn’t come again,” John Updike wrote in his essay on Williams’ last residence recreation. “Gods don’t reply letters.”
Mickey Mantle, CF, 1954-58: 47.7 WAR
5-year common: .325 BA, 191 OPS+, 38 HR, 104 RBIs, 126 R, .451 OBP, 9.5 WAR
Led league: 4x WAR, 1x BA, 3x HR, 2x OPS
Achievements: 2x MVP, 1x Triple Crown, 2x WS champ
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: +4.1% (Willie Mays)
The case for Mantle over Ohtani: If a part of the reply to our query is a few undefinable mixture of recognition, adoration and simply pure presence, then Mantle rises to the highest of the listing. Till his knees went unhealthy, he may run just like the wind, thought to be the quickest participant within the recreation. No person hit longer residence runs — and he did it from either side of the plate. “No man within the historical past of baseball had as a lot energy as Mickey Mantle,” Billy Martin, his teammate on the Yankees, as soon as stated. Mantle’s Triple Crown season in 1956 — .353, 52 residence runs, 130 RBIs, 11.3 WAR — is among the best seasons ever. He matched that with one other 11.3-WAR season in 1957, when he hit .363. He had a .935 OPS in 23 World Sequence video games on this interval.
The case for Ohtani over Mantle: Nicely, Billy Martin by no means noticed Ohtani hit residence runs — like the house run he hit within the Nationwide League Championship Sequence that turned the eighth to ever go away Dodger Stadium. If solely we may add Mantle’s 1961 season (10.5 WAR) to his 1955-58 peak, quite than utilizing 1954 (6.9 WAR) or 1959 (6.6 WAR). In fact, even then, Mays would nonetheless be proper there alongside him in worth. The Yankees went 2-2 within the World Sequence on this interval, shedding twice when Mantle missed video games with accidents. That speaks to his worth but additionally to his incapacity to all the time be at his finest.
Willie Mays, CF, 1962-66: 52.3 WAR
5-year common: .304 BA, 169 OPS+, 45 HR, 114 RBIs, 117 R, .601 SLG, 10.5 WAR
Led league: 5x WAR, 3x HR, 2x SLG, 2x OPS
Achievements: 1x MVP, 5x Gold Glove
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: +30% (Henry Aaron)
The case for Mays over Ohtani: Whoa … 30% higher than Aaron? 53% extra invaluable than Frank Robinson? 64% extra invaluable than Roberto Clemente? And that is after they had been all nonetheless of their peak years. Sure, Willie may ball. This stretch consists of 4 10-WAR seasons, and whereas Mays received only one MVP award, the voters may have given it to him each season. Amazingly, this additionally covers Mays’ age-31-to-age-35 seasons, a testomony to his conditioning and sturdiness. “I feel I used to be one of the best ballplayer I ever noticed,” Mays himself would say after he retired. He could be proper. His five-year WAR trails solely Ruth on this listing and simply beats Ohtani.
The case for Ohtani over Mays: There isn’t any denying Mays’ all-around brilliance, however even adjusted for the low offensive surroundings of this era, he wasn’t as invaluable a hitter as some others right here and is principally equal to Ohtani: Mays created about 267 extra runs than the common hitter whereas Ohtani is at 260. Does Mays’ protection in middle subject trump Ohtani’s pitching? You may additionally argue the largest star within the recreation over these 5 seasons was Sandy Koufax, who received three Cy Younger Awards and two World Sequence. (Mays’ Giants performed in a single on this interval and misplaced.)
Joe Morgan, 2B, 1972-76: 47.8 WAR
5-year common: .303 BA, 163 OPS+, 22 HR, 85 RBIs, 113 R, 62 SB, 9.6 WAR
Led league: 4x WAR, 4x OBP, 2x OPS
Achievements: 2x MVP, 4x Gold Glove, 2x WS champ
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: +36.6% (Bobby Grich)
The case for Morgan over Ohtani: Maybe essentially the most underrated all-time nice participant, Morgan excelled in secondary abilities: He averaged 118 walks per season on this interval, stole bases at a excessive share and received 4 Gold Gloves. His energy numbers do not leap out, however this was a low-offense interval, with the NL averaging simply 4.06 runs per recreation from 1972 to 1976. (The MLB common in 2025 was 4.45.) Morgan’s 1.020 OPS in 1976 was greater than 100 factors larger than the subsequent man. All of it added as much as an enormously invaluable participant who was head and shoulders above the No. 2 participant in WAR over this era. Oh, and just like the Dodgers, the Cincinnati Reds received back-to-back World Sequence in 1975 and 1976, Morgan’s two MVP years.
The case for Ohtani over Morgan: OK, we perceive now that Morgan was underappreciated in his personal time and his abilities extra refined than apparent, but it surely’s additionally true that within the Seventies, his Reds teammates Johnny Bench and Pete Rose had been thought to be the larger stars. When it comes to uncooked numbers, Ohtani wins in a landslide: Morgan hit 108 residence runs and drove in 427 runs in contrast with 233 and 522 for Ohtani (and Ohtani’s adjusted OPS was additionally larger). Once more, it is a query of whether or not Morgan’s protection and place was extra invaluable than Ohtani’s pitching.
Mike Schmidt, 3B, 1977-81: 39.5 WAR
5-year common: .274 BA, 157 OPS+, 37 HR, 101 RBIs, 100 R, 7.9 WAR
Led league: 3x WAR, 2x HR, 2x OPS
Achievements: 2x MVP, 5x Gold Glove, 1x WS champ
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: +15.2% (George Brett)
The case for Schmidt over Ohtani: As Invoice James as soon as wrote of Schmidt, “True, he did not hit .320. If he had, he could be the best participant who ever lived.” Schmidt was a 2020s-type participant — a Three True Outcomes slugger — trapped in an period of massive, multipurpose stadiums. If he had performed in a unique period, like at present’s with smaller parks, he would have had a bunch of 50-home run seasons. (He led the NL eight instances in residence runs over his profession.) Schmidt additionally drew 100 walks a 12 months, received 10 Gold Gloves and is thought to be the best third baseman of all time.
The case for Ohtani over Schmidt: Ohtani’s whole worth simply eclipsed Schmidt’s run. Certainly, it was tough developing with a participant to symbolize the Nineteen Eighties. Rickey Henderson unfold out his three finest seasons (1980, 1985, 1990). Wade Boggs had an awesome five-year stretch from 1985 to 1989, when he averaged 8.4 WAR, however no person would name Boggs the participant of the last decade. As for Schmidt, his finest season would have been 1981 — when he hit .316, the one time he hit .300, and his second of back-to-back MVP years — however the strike interrupted the season, and he performed simply 102 video games. If we may choose Schmidt’s 5 finest nonconsecutive seasons, he’d have a greater argument.
Barry Bonds, LF, 1990-94: 42.9 WAR
5-year common: .310 BA, 185 OPS+, 35 HR, 107 RBIs, 105 R, 38 SB, 8.6 WAR
Led league: 4x WAR, 1x HR, 1x RBIs, 4x OPS
Achievements: 3x MVP, 5x Gold Glove
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: 26.9% (Ken Griffey Jr.)
The case for Nineties Bonds over Ohtani: Let’s name this Bonds I. For a lot of the decade, the argument was Bonds vs. Griffey. Nicely, even Griffey’s 5 finest seasons from the Nineties (41.6 WAR) do not fairly match Bonds’ five-year run from 1990 to 1994, which incorporates the strike-shortened 1994 season. Bonds received three MVP awards (and doubtless ought to have received a fourth in 1991) and posted OPS+ figures over 200 in 1992 and 1993 — which Ohtani has by no means completed. This Bonds was an annual Gold Glove winner and among the best baserunners within the recreation (stealing as many as 52 bases in 1990).
The case for Ohtani over Nineties Bonds: Nearly as good as Bonds was, and as terrific as his all-around recreation was, Ohtani’s nonetheless had extra worth. And we’ve to think about Ohtani’s two titles right here versus Bonds’ zero. The Pittsburgh Pirates made the playoffs three straight years from 1990 to 1992, and Bonds utterly flopped, hitting .191/.337/.265 with six RBIs in 20 video games. Case closed.
Barry Bonds, 2000-04: 51.1 WAR
5-year common: .339 BA, 241 OPS+, 52 HR, 109 RBIs, 123 R, 10.2 WAR
Led league: 4x WAR, 1x HR, 4x OPS
Achievements: 4x MVP, file 73 HRs
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: +17.5% (Alex Rodriguez)
The case for 2000s Bonds over Ohtani: And now we’ve Bonds II, when he put up a five-year run on the plate that neither Ruth nor Williams even matched. In 2001, Bonds mashed 73 residence runs with an 0.863 slugging share. The subsequent 12 months, he hit .370 with a .582 OBP. He “slumped” all the way in which to .341 with a 1.278 OPS in 2003 after which hit .362 with 232 walks, a .609 (!) OBP and 1.422 OPS in 2004. The numbers do not appear actual. His mixed WAR, together with 11.9 in 2001, 11.7 in 2002 and 10.6 in 2004, is third behind Ruth and Mays and nonetheless considerably forward of Ohtani. Bonds is the one participant to win 4 straight MVP awards — oh, and he completed second the 12 months he did not win.
The case for Ohtani over 2000s Bonds: Nicely, Bonds did not pitch. His protection and baserunning had declined. He nonetheless did not win — though the San Francisco Giants did attain the World Sequence in 2002 and Bonds had among the best postseasons ever. And he definitely could not match Ohtani in reputation.
5-year common: .310 BA, 173 OPS+, 33 HR, 96 RBIs, 116 R, 28 SB, 9.4 WAR
Led league: 5x WAR, 4x R, 1x RBIs, 1x SB, 1x OPS
Achievements: 2x MVP
WAR share over No. 2 participant in span: +44.9% (Robinson Cano)
The case for Trout over Ohtani: Younger Trout was actually one thing, deservedly drawing comparisons to one of the best gamers of all time, beginning with a ten.5-WAR season as a rookie in 2012 and one other 10.4-WAR season in 2016 (each figures barely larger than Ohtani’s better of 10.0). He received his two MVPs on this stretch and completed second within the voting the opposite three years. He hit for common, drew walks, stole bases and performed strong protection. (And when the ball acquired slightly livelier later within the decade, his OPS would climb even larger.) His five-year WAR crushes Cano, the No. 2 place participant, and likewise beats out Ohtani’s five-year whole. Whereas the Los Angeles Angels made the playoffs solely in 2014, Trout was nonetheless unquestionably considered as one of the best participant within the recreation, a title he would maintain down during 2019, when he captured his third MVP award. Alas, accidents would mar his profession after that.
The case for Ohtani over Trout: Ohtani left the Angels, Trout stayed. The 2 World Sequence titles add a significant factor to Ohtani’s legacy and stardom that Trout will all the time lack. Nearly as good as Trout was, it is also in all probability truthful to say he lacked the magnetism of Ohtani (or the charisma of Griffey, to whom he was so usually in contrast early on).