Ken Griffey, who has hit 630 home runs with the Mariners and other teams, participated in a baseball classroom at Tokyo Dome on the 17th. Ahead of the opening series between the Dodgers and Cubs starting on the 18th, he sent his support to Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers.

Regarding his impression of Ohtani, Griffey said, "When I first saw him, I noticed how big he was, especially his physical size. And then when I see how he really pursues what he has to be in every single thing, I think that's really special and really interesting."

Although Ohtani has been making a name for himself as both a pitcher and a batter since 2018, he praised him, saying, "There is really no one to compare him to." He expressed the difficulty of playing as a two-way player in the modern major leagues, saying, "For example, he is often compared to Babe Ruth, but in those days, Babe Ruth faced eight or ten teams. Now, when you're facing 30 teams, the situation is completely different."

Last season, in his first year with the Dodgers, he focused on batting and achieved the first ever 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases, helping the team win the World Series. "I think you will also be playing as a pitcher this season, but watching the early part of spring training, I could see you working hard. So I hope you can return to being a two-way player in good shape," he said, encouraging him.