Trump asks Ohtani, Yamamoto 'Who's the better pitcher?' at White House Dodgers celebration
Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Los Angeles Dodgers players, including Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, visited the White House to celebrate their second consecutive World Series championship.
- President Donald Trump praised Ohtani's historic achievements, noting his unique ability to excel as both a pitcher and hitter.
- During the ceremony, Trump playfully asked Ohtani and Yamamoto who was the better pitcher, prompting them to point at each other, which amused the attendees.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, fresh off their second consecutive World Series title, were honored at the White House, meeting with President Donald Trump. The team, including stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, participated in a celebration ceremony in the Rose Garden.
In Major League Baseball's 150-year history, no player has ever received more than one unanimous MVP, except for this international legendary star named Shohei Ohtani.
President Trump lauded the Dodgers as a globally recognized brand and expressed surprise that they hadn't achieved a repeat championship earlier in their history. He particularly highlighted Shohei Ohtani's unprecedented success, stating, "In Major League Baseball's 150-year history, no player has ever received more than one unanimous MVP, except for this international legendary star named Shohei Ohtani."
Who is the better pitcher?
Trump commended Ohtani's remarkable 2023 season, where he achieved feats previously thought impossible, including winning a unanimous MVP award for the third consecutive year and setting a team record with 55 home runs. The president marveled at Ohtani's dual-threat capability, comparing his achievements to those of Babe Ruth.
I thought to myself, 'This is the greatest game I've ever seen one player play,' because you're pitching and hitting.
A lighthearted moment occurred when Trump, while introducing Yamamoto, playfully asked Ohtani and Yamamoto who the better pitcher was. Both players responded by pointing at each other, eliciting laughter from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and others present. The team also presented Trump with a custom Dodgers jersey and a World Series championship ring.
He's unbelievable. Shohei accomplished the impossible last year, things nobody thought were possible. He won the unanimous MVP for the third year in a row and set a team record with 55 home runs.
Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.