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Derek Jeter joined Sunday's "FOX NFL Kickoff," where the former Yankees captain spoke highly of Shohei Ohtani. After his MLB postseason debut ended with a three-run homer against the Padres, Ohtani's stock rose in the eyes of Jeter.
On the show, Charles Woodson brought up the topic of Ohtani. Jeter said (3:39):
"He's [Shohei Ohtani] a unicorn. We were talking about this earlier today. I mean, the guy is unbelievable to watch. People fail to remember this season, but he's a pitcher as well. If he focused on pitching, he'd probably be the best pitcher in the league."
Ohtani scored 54 homers and stole 59 bases in the 2024 regular season. As such, Jeter praised Ohtani's hitting prowess.:
"This year, he was one of the best hitters in the league, if not the best hitter in the league."
When sportscaster Charissa Thompson asked whether he had seen anyone similar to Ohtani before, Jeter replied he hadn't.
With the Dodgers looking to take a 2-0 lead in the NLDS against the Padres, skipper Dave Roberts will be banking on the Japanese superstar yet again. Having homered seven times in his past 11 games, it won't be surprising to see him homer against Padres in Game 2.
Derek Jeter discusses 2024 MLB postseason
On "FOX NFL Kickoff", Derek Jeter answered queries from Charles Woodson and Charissa Thompson about the 2024 MLB postseason. Jeter had earlier predicted the Phillies would beat the Mets in Game 1 of the NLDS. Jeter said: (4:09)
"Last night, I was talking about the Phillies and the Mets, and I said, you know, I still think the Phillies are going to win, but I thought the Mets' magic—these late-inning comebacks—were going to end at some point. But it's amazing what they've been able to do up until this point, and they keep going. So, the Mets are a tough team."
Derek Jeter also talked about the Detroit Tigers:
"They have a lot of belief. You know, they've had one of the best turnarounds. I mean, they were pretty much out of it a month and a half ago, and, you know, at the trade deadline, they were getting rid of people. Now it just clicked.
"You know, I've always said the best teams get to the postseason, and the hottest team wins. The Tigers are as hot as anyone, but we'll see if it plays out in the short term."
Per Derek Jeter, the National League postseason bracket is much tougher than the American League. Jeter feels the Yankees are outright favorites to win the ALCS. However, he thinks all four teams in the NL have the potential to win the NLCS.
