Barry Bonds made a pair of claims that caught viewers’ attention during Netflix’s broadcast of the MLB Opening Day matchup between the Giants and New York Yankees on Wednesday at Oracle Park.

The former San Francisco slugger was a guest analyst on the pregame show, and he was asked about Yankees superstar Aaron Judge and how the three-time AL MVP balances collecting personal accolades with chasing a World Series championship.

Barry Bonds: “I may not have talked to anybody off the field, but on that field, I was probably the best teammate you would ever have. I took more walks for my team, got on base for my team, and that’s what baseball is about.”

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“Let’s go back to the word ‘team,'” Bonds said. “We always talk about ‘team,’ but all of a sudden we’re talking about one individual that plays on a team that also wears a ‘C’ on his shirt as captain of that team and we’re missing how much he brings to that team and puts them in the position that they’re in.

“If you want to talk about team, that’s the man I want on my team. If you want to talk about character, that’s the man I want on my team. And we all are responsible for our own jobs. And I’ll go back to myself, with all the criticisms I’ve been through. On that field, like I say, I may not have talked to anybody off the field, that was just me, but on that field, I was probably the best teammate you would ever have. I took more walks for my team, got on base for my team, and that’s what baseball is about. Aaron Judge brings that to his team every day, year in and year out.”

Bonds had a complicated reputation, both on and off the field, throughout his 22-year MLB career. There were some former teammates, like pitcher Barry Zito, who claimed Bonds was “one of the sweetest guys” he ever met.

However, there have been comments made by other former teammates, and prior incidents on the field, that might contradict that narrative. Former Giants first baseman J.T. Snow later criticised Bonds for withholding information from his teammates. Bonds also infamously fought second baseman Jeff Kent in the Giants’ dugout in 2002, which became known as the “Slugout in the Dugout.”

What Bonds appears to be alluding to, though, is how his daunting presence in the lineup and production at the plate benefited those around him.

As MLB’s all-time home run leader, who produced otherwordly on-base numbers and widely is regarded as one of, if not the greatest player of all time, he might have a point.

While there might be differing views regarding who Bonds was as a teammate, it’s clear he believes he did right by his cohorts.

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