Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani – Source: Imagn

Shohei Ohtani measures 6-foot-4 in height, a well above-average height for someone playing baseball. However, when he stood up next to former UC Irvine center Mamadou N’Diaye, fans couldn’t hold themselves back.

On Monday, the user kpopsns28 posted a photo on the r/baseball sub-reddit of Ohtani alongside N’Diaye outside Dodgers spring training facility in Glendale, Arizona. The 7-foot-6 former basketball player dwarfed the three-time MVP.

When he was in college, N’Diaye was the tallest basketball player in the NCAA Division I level. While he went undrafted in the NBA, he spent some time playing professionally in Mexico.

Upon seeing the photo, fans couldn’t help but spring comments hilariously.

“Makes Ohtani look like Joe Rogan,” one fan wrote, comparing the baseball superstar to the popular podcaster.

“Shohei looking like a little pipsqueak,” another wrote.

“Dude’s strike zone is probably the size of Jose Altuve,” another took a jab at the Houston Astros star.

Comments continue to come in as the post goes viral over the internet.

“Shohei “Banana for Scale” Ohtani,” another commented.

“It’s kind of cute how upright Ohtani is trying to stand,” another added.

“Ohtani looks like a high school kid taking a photo next to Shaq lmfaoooo,” another posted.

Shohei Ohtani expected pitching timeline revealed

Shohei Ohtani, who did not pitch the entire 2024 season after an elbow procedure, is expected to return to the mound sometime this season.

The Dodgers are not rushing with him and is giving him all the time to recover well.

Earlier this month, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated that Ohtani won’t be active as a pitcher on the Opening Day roster.

“It might be earlier,” Roberts said, “but I think that the first thing I said earlier this offseason was it wasn’t going to be in the Japan Series. … Once he gets to Spring Training and we see where the throwing program is, I think we’ll just go from there.”

According to MLB.com, the updated timeline for Ohtani’s return date is expected sometime in May. That is again to say there will be no setback between now and then.

One reason why is it taking slow for Ohtani to get back is the shoulder surgery he underwent last year after hurting his non-throwing shoulder while sliding for a base steal attempt against the Yankees in the World Series.

“The offseason was short. It actually felt short as well,” Shohei Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “And obviously, with the surgery, it was even shorter.”

And the Dodgers can afford to take slow. They are already stacked with different starting options so Shohei Ohtani would take all the time in the world to see the mound again.