Trump compares Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to Babe Ruth at White House

President Donald Trump likened Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to one of the best to ever do it, Babe Ruth.

The Dodgers visited the White House Thursday afternoon during an off day on their East Coast road trip, and Trump recognized Ohtani for his remarkable accomplishments.

“The 2025 Dodger season was one for the record books in 150 years of Major League Baseball. No player has ever earned more than one unanimous league MVP, except for an international legend named Shohei Ohtani,” Trump said.

President Donald Trump holds a Los Angeles Dodgers jersey with his name and the No. 47 during a ceremony honoring the 2025 World Series champions in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., July 23, 2026. (Oliver Contreras/AFP via Getty Images)

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“He’s amazing. He’s amazing. Everybody loves him. Last year, Shohei did what was previously unthinkable. Nobody thought it was possible. He collected his third straight unanimous league MVP with a franchise record 55 home runs. And if you would have told me you can be the best pitcher and the best hitter at the same time, you know, Babe Ruth was pretty close to that.”

In the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Ohtani’s career reached new heights. He hit 99 home runs those years, leading the National League with a 1.025 OPS.

Ohtani did not pitch in 2024 after elbow surgery but returned to the bump last year and recorded a 2.87 ERA and 11.9 strikeouts per nine, a figure he also put up in 2022, which led the American League.

The Los Angeles Dodgers/ Shohei Ohtani listens as President Donald Trump speaks during an event honoring the 2025 World Series champion Dodgers in the Rose Garden of the White House Thursday, July 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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Ohtani, nicknamed by many the “Japanese Babe Ruth,” is the only player in MLB history to have more than 300-plus plate appearances and more than 40-plus innings pitched in six separate seasons. Ruth only did it twice and never stole 50 bases.

Trump called the Boston Red Sox trade of Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees the worst trade in the history of sports.

“Babe was 19 years old. They considered it the worst trade in the history of sports. I would say Babe will always say, ‘Take that.’ He was 19, and they got a 36-year-old third baseman and $100,000, so I would rate that pretty bad,” Trump said while gesturing toward Ohtani.

“They drafted him as a pitcher, but he did something very unusual. He led the league in home runs as a pitcher. That one you have to do.” 

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Miguel Rojas and Shohei Ohtani react as President Donald Trump hosts the 2025 MLB World Series champions in the Rose Garden of the White House July 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

In 1920, the Red Sox sold Ruth to the Yankees for $100,000 and a $300,000 loan for Fenway Park.

Ohtani is in the midst of another brilliant season. As a hitter, he has a .283 batting average with 22 home runs, 60 RBIs and six stolen bases in 94 games.

As a pitcher, he is 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts, but he recently missed a start due to a knee issue. Ohtani will look to lead the Dodgers to their third straight World Series title with a strong second half.

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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