Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) has been exploding at the plate in June, and it looks like he’ll hit a career-high with a “pileup” and hit free agency.
At his current pace, he could easily win the MVP award and sign the biggest contract in American professional sports history.
As of Thursday, Ohtani is in the American League’s (AL) “top five” in nearly every major statistical category.
First, he ranks eighth in batting average (.296), first in home runs (20), fifth in RBIs (50), fifth in runs scored (44), eighth in slugging percentage (.373), second in on-base percentage (.600), third in OPS (.973), tied for 14th in stolen bases (10), and third in hits (77). The reason why Ohtani’s rankings in each of these categories are so impressive is because he has been on fire over the last two weeks.
In his last 13 games, he’s batting .431 (22-for-50) with seven home runs, 16 RBI, 14 runs scored, a .508 slugging percentage, a .980 on-base percentage, and a 1.488 OPS. He hit a game-tying solo shot and a game-winning two-run shot against the Texas Rangers on April 13, his most impressive performance of the year. He had a 10-game hitting streak going into the game against Texas on April 14.
At this rate, Ohtani is on pace for 47 home runs, 117 RBIs, 103 runs scored, and 181 hits. That’s on pace to surpass his previous career highs of 46 homers, 100 RBIs, 103 runs scored (over 2021), and 160 hits (over 2022). His batting average is well above last year’s .273, and his OPS is above 2021’s .965.
The “pitcher” category, which is often seen as a relative disadvantage compared to hitters, is actually not. In 13 starts, Ohtani went 5-2 with a 3.32 ERA, 102 strikeouts, a 1.04 WHIP, and a 0.172 batting average in 76 innings pitched. He ranks first in strikeouts, second in walks, ninth in WHIP, 16th in ERA, and tied for 17th in wins.
As a starter, ERA and innings pitched are most important, and he’s on pace for 178 innings, easily surpassing last year’s 166. The ERA has been up and down over the last eight games, and is a far cry from last year’s 2.33, but we’re not even halfway through the season yet.
One to watch is the strikeout category. At his current pace, he’s on pace for 239 this season. His 12.1 strikeout-to-walk ratio per nine innings is also a career low. He’s also on pace to keep his ERA under one for the first time in his career. However, he walks a lot. His 34 walks are tied for fourth most in the AL. That’s why, despite his low ERA, he’s falling behind in WHIP.
All in all, with 47 home runs as a hitter and 239 strikeouts as a pitcher, he’s on track to reach another major milestone in Major League 안전놀이터 Baseball history. 40 homers and 200 strikeouts in a season is “uncharted territory” that not even Babe Ruth has ever gotten close to. To put it mildly, it’s a performance that deserves a unanimous MVP award.
After this season, Ohtani will be eligible for free agency for the first time in his career. Trade rumors began swirling last summer, and there is some speculation that the Angels will put him on the market again this summer to acquire a number of prospects. However, the Angels are 38-31, third in the AL West and fourth in the wild card, their best record at this point in the season since 2018, when Ohtani joined the club. Ohtani also has fall baseball hopes.
Owner Art Moreno told Sports Illustrated in March, “It’s official. If we have a chance at the playoffs, we’re not trading Ohtani,” Moreno said in March.
Even if he doesn’t change teams, Ohtani will definitely be on the market after this season. He is certain to become the first player in North American professional sports, including the NFL, NBA, and NHL, to sign a contract totaling $500 million in guaranteed money. The current record is a 10-year, $450 million deal signed by NFL Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in July 2020.