Shohei Ohtani's fame reached new and unprecedented heights during the Home Run Derby on Monday at Coors Field. It didn't matter that the Angels' two-way sensation lost a thrilling first-round matchup to Nationals slugger Juan Soto. It didn't matter that he, the betting favorite, came up short.
Ohtani's presence and performance was celebrated, both at home and abroad. And former major league outfielder and current Players Alliance president Curtis Granderson has a suggestion on how MLB can further promote the Japanese superstar, and for years to come.
"One thing I would love to see happen in baseball is every team plays against everybody," Granderson told the Reiter Than You show on Tuesday. "The great thing about Shohei Ohtani is he showcases his ability to pitch, his ability to hit. But if I'm in a market where he doesn't come play against me, I may not see him. And baseball's such a regional sport. So, if I'm in Cincinnati, I know the Cincinnati Reds. But if the Angels don't come and play in Cincinnati -- which they might not be scheduled to this year -- I may not get a chance to see the great Shohei Ohtani.
"And let's flip the script -- guys in the National League like [Padres shortstop] Fernando Tatis Jr., you may not get a chance to go to Minnesota and see him play because of that. So, one of the things that I would love to see happen is, just balance the schedule out. Everybody plays everybody. With 162 games, I think we can find a way to get it done. And now we get a chance to showcase this ability to all the baseball fans. You start to learn and see all these players that you hear about, but you might not have had the chance to see."
Ohtani, who finished the first half with a league-leading 33 homers, 56 extra-base hits, and .698 slugging percentage, became the first player in AL history to reach 30 homers and 10 stolen bases in his team's first 81 games of the season, according to Stats by STATS. The former Rookie of the Year also owns a 3.49 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 86 strikeouts in 67 innings (13 starts).
On Tuesday night in the All-Star Game, Ohtani will bat leadoff for the AL and also start on the mound. He's the first player in the 91-year history of MLB's Midsummer Classic to make a roster as both a hitter and pitcher.
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The entire conversation between Granderson and Reiter can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Reiter Than You show on Twitter @sportsreiter and @CBSSportsRadio, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.