Shohei Ohtani Belongs In A Category Of His Own
The MVP for the American League is a hot topic currently. At this very moment, it’s clear to many that Yankee outfielder Aaron Judge deserves it, especially since he leads the AL in all major offensive categories. Then there’s a gray area, and that’s with Pitcher/DH extraordinaire Shohei Ohtani.
There is absolutely no denying that Shohei Ohtani is the most talented athlete on the planet. This man lives and dies by the game. While he plays for the horrid Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California of the United States of the World, he is having another otherworldly season.
Here’s where the problem lies. Shohei can’t win MVP every year. He’s consistently doing what no one else is doing, which is being epic on the mound and the plate. Even if he’s having an “off” season, there’s no one else next to him.
There are practically no other two-way players in the game of baseball at the moment. Aaron Judge doesn’t pitch. It’s not in his game. Neither did Vlad Guerrero Jr., who placed runner-up in MVP voting last season behind Ohtani.
As a result, the outcome of the MVP will always be very controversial until more two-way players are introduced. This is why Ohtani deserves his own category yet it isn’t conventional because he stands alone.
So far for Ohtani
As of Sept 22nd, Ohtani is slashing .270/.358/.534 with 34 home runs and a 149 OPS+. On the mound, he is posting his career-best pitching numbers. His ERA sits at 2.43 with 196 strikeouts and an unreal 2.44 FIP. All these stats could most definitely qualify for both MVP and Cy Young, but he won’t win either.
Sadly for the best athlete in baseball, there are players who narrowly pass him in all these categories whether it’s pitching or offense. In a way, it’s unfair to Ohtani with the workload he puts on himself.
This is the puzzle that needs to be figured out. Shohei should be acknowledged for what he does in a way that doesn’t take away from other players’ attributes.
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