As every red-blooded baseball fan whole-heartedly knows, when it comes to talent, Shohei Ohtani is second to none. His ability to both hit and pitch at elite levels is an unparallelled skillset in this generation of MLB players. Unfortunately, Ohtani hasn’t been afforded the opportunity to take the mound since late 2023 due to his elbow injury.
But even when he is unable to pitch, Ohtani is still among the game’s best. Just last season, he became the first DH-only player to win an MVP award, marking the third of its kind in Ohtani’s trophy case that also proudly displays three Silver Sluggers, a Rookie of the Year award, and of course, a World Series ring. Not to mention, he invented the 50-50 club, which might not come with a trophy, but is still a worthwhile accomplishment nonetheless. Despite the fact he is yet to hurl a pitch this year, Ohtani has proven you can never count him out when it comes to the MVP race.
Through 83 at-bats this season, Ohtani is hitting .277/.375/.530/.905 with six home runs and five stolen bases entering Monday. Even though this stat line is still very admirable, nothing here gives Ohtani a jump on his hopeful MVP competitors, especially when he isn’t pitching or fielding a position. Should this be a problem? No. As long as Ohtani is still contributing to the success of the Los Angeles Dodgers, there is nothing to worry about. However, Dodgers’ fans won’t be very happy to discover who’s leading the crowded race.
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Fernando Tatis Jr. leads the NL MVP conversation early on
In his 81 at-bats entering Monday, San Diego Padres’ slugger and 2023 Gold Glove recipient, Fernando Tatis Jr., is tearing the cover off the ball, hitting .358/.436/.691/1.127 with eight home runs and seven stolen bases. He leads MLB in WAR at 2.1. Ohtani's current WAR is 0.8.
Dodgers’ fans most likely begrudgingly remember an intense confrontation breaking out between fans at Dodgers’ Stadium and Padres’ outfielders that involved Tatis during a rowdy NLDS Game 2 last postseason. During the altercation, fans hurled objects at Tatis and fellow outfielder Jurickson Profar as they stood in the outfield. After that game, Tatis said this when asked about the interaction:
“Dodger fans, they were just not happy. They’re losing the game, obviously, and just a lot of back and forth. What can I say? I wish they could control it a little bit more their emotions. But at the end of the day, I see this as part of a game.”
These comments, as harmless as they may sound, only added to Tatis’ newfound reputation as a villain in the eyes of Dodgers’ fans. As of now, their top enemy sits on top of the crowded field of NL MVP hopefuls. However, the season is young and the race will likely be reshaped when Ohtani returns to the mound.