Shohei Ohtani is a name we've heard all season long. Whether it's been about his hitting prowess or his pitching dynamics, the dual-threat superstar is unlike any other player in the league. So, of course, he would be tied for the lead in home runs. Who is he tied with? Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson, who hit his 40th home run on Thursday. But is this who we wanted in a home run race with Ohtani?

Why Matt Olson versus Shohei Ohtani?

Matt Olson is having his best statistical year in his second season in Atlanta thus far. Some of that is probably due to the fact that he's currently in one of the best offenses in all of baseball, which, from top to bottom, leads the league in homers. Olson is obviously a big reason for that. As mentioned, the 29-year-old is currently tied with Ohtani at 40 home runs, while also leading the league in RBIs by 12 as of this writing. So needless to say, Olson isn't a slouch at the plate.

Olson is just a surprise if nothing else. He's on pace to hit 58 home runs this season, which is far and away from his past season totals. In eight seasons, he's never hit more than 39 over the fence, which was two seasons ago, and he only did it once. The next closest was 34 last year in his first season with the Braves.

Is Olson the player we were looking for to compete with Ohtani? Again, this is nothing against Olson. He's a great player and one that's become exciting to watch at the plate. But when thinking about the current landscape of baseball, I would doubt Olson is the one player that anybody would have picked to be in an unofficial home run race with one of the greatest players the game has ever seen during his peak. And some of that is mainly due to his previous numbers.

If there would have been any Braves player that someone would have picked to compete against Ohtani, it would have been Ronald Acuña Jr.

Why not Ronald Acuña Jr. versus Shohei Ohtani?

Acuña has just been waiting to break out into the season he's currently having right now. Most thought it was going to be two seasons ago until he tore his ACL mid-season that year. Last season, then, was a challenge, where he often struggled to find consistency and feel comfortable again post-surgery and rehab. Acuña now is looking in prime form, hitting in his favorite lead-off spot and accomplishing feats that most players have never dreamed of. He currently leads the league in stolen bases with 53.

As phenomenal as both players have been in the past and present, the home run race opponent for Ohtani seemed only fittingly reserved for Acuña. They're both out of this world baseball players, who not only ignite their teams with their style of play but also fans watching them. They're also front-runners and odds-on favorites (per FanDuel) to win their respective league's MVP award.

Acuña has never hit more than 26 homers in his career, which oddly enough, he currently sits at. But we all know that he can smash a baseball deep into the seats. Barring injury, he'll have a record year in the home run stat sheet much like everything else this year. It's a shame that he won't be going neck and neck with Ohtani for the home run crown.

Why not Pete Alonso versus Shohei Ohtani?

If there's anyone we know that can crush a baseball, it's New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. Alonso began his career as the league home run champion back in 2019 when he hit 53 bombs that year. He hasn't accomplished that feat again since. He did hit 40 last year and currently sits with 35 this season, putting him well on pace to surpass last year's total.

The Mets could have used this, though, right? In a season that quickly went down the toilet, Mets fans needed something to cheer about this season. An Alonso versus Ohtani back-and-forth home run race would have been perfect to supplement this horrible season. Alonso would have also been a perfect enemy for fans outside of New York to root against in Ohtani's efforts to win the battle. But, like everything else with the Mets, they can't compete.

Why not Kyle Schwarber versus Shohei Ohtani?

Schwarber was last year's home run king with 46 homers. He's got 30 as of this writing. He's also got 229 for his career in nine seasons.

Schwarber is one of those guys that, once he gets on a hot streak with hitting the long ball, he's typically hard to stop. Schwarber's also, much like Alonso, a power hitter, where there's little doubt about where the ball is going once it leaves his bat when he gets a hold of one. Schwarber is one of those hitters that delivers when he hits home runs, where the ball travels long and far. That matters in a home run race. In the days of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, those guys weren't just barely putting them over the fence; sometimes they were putting them out of stadiums. That's the kind of home run hitter Schwarber can be, which would have made for an exciting opponent for Ohtani.

I guess Matt Olson will have to do, however.