The 2024 MLB All-Star Game features rising stars and future Hall of Famers down in Texas. Dodgers do-it-all force Shohei Ohtani was there, clobbering a three-run homer early for the National League. Baseball fans all over have their eyes glued to Ohtani whenever he plays, but the player Ohtani himself was most impressed with during the Midsummer Classic was none other than the Phillies' Bryce Harper.
"I had an opportunity to get a pretty close look at Bryce Harper and the kind of preparation that he does before the game, so it's really Bryce Harper that stood out to me," Ohtani said through an interpreter while fielding questions from reporters.
Ohtani's next close look at Harper may come in October with the Phillies and Dodgers standing tall as the two best teams in the NL with a possible playoff matchup on the horizon for the two squads for the first time since 2009. That's to say nothing of the MVP Award race that will ramp up with both superstars in the hunt.
Ultimately, are you surprised at Ohtani's answer? Certainly not. Harper is as good as advertised and has everything you want with the face of your franchise. He can even be the face of the sport itself at times! A Harper-Ohtani duel in the postseason would do wonders to build baseball back to prominence.
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