The leading home run and RBI hitter strikes out the fourth most in the league as a pitcher. Major League Baseball LA Angels’ Shohei Otani is bombing the big leagues with his cartoon-like performance. He is within the range of not only the second MVP since entering the U.S. but also the first $500 million big deal.
Otani’s “Ido-ryu,” which doubles as a pitcher and hitter, has been the biggest topic in baseball since right after landing in the 2018 season. Although he fell short of the regulation at-bats, he caused a sensation with 22 home runs and a three-point ERA in the first year. In the 2021 season, he won 46 home runs and nine wins on the mound, winning the MVP he dreamed of.
The evolution continued. Last year, he unleashed his potential as a pitcher. He earned his first 10 wins (15 wins and 9 losses) and a two-point ERA since entering the U.S. He also ranked fourth in home runs and seventh in RBIs at bat. He gave up the AL MVP to Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees, who had a historic season of 60 home runs, but it was a good year.
One disappointment was the title 먹튀검증. He even won the Rookie of the Year award and MVP, but he had no connection with the No. 1 major category. Some say that it is the fate of Lee Do-ryu, who cannot focus on either pitching or hitting.
This season, Otani is confronting this conventional wisdom head-on. He hasn’t even turned the halfway point yet, but he has a batting career high with a batting average of 0.300, 23 home runs, and 56 RBIs until the 18th (Korea Standard Time). His batting average is sixth in the American League, and home runs and RBIs are the top two leagues. As a pitcher, he ranks fourth in the league with 105 strikeouts.
Recently, the momentum is especially hot. Ohtani hit a change-up by opposing pitcher Taylor Clark in the top of the seventh inning of the game against the Kansas City Royals at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City, USA, and hit a solo shot over the middle fence. It was his 150th cannon since entering the big leagues and a shot to overtake New York Mets Pete Alonso to become the leader of both league home runs.
Ohtani showed his power by hitting five home runs in the last six games. The hit streak in consecutive games has been extended to 14 games. In May, his accuracy dropped slightly to a batting average of 0.243, but he revived brilliantly with a monthly batting average of 0.410 this month.
If he maintains his momentum until the end, Otani will literally have a historic season. It is calculated that 50 home runs and 10 wins will be achieved in one season. If there are no unexpected variables such as injuries, the AL MVP is virtually a thought that has been removed.
The ransom is bound to soar. Otani will qualify as a free agent this winter. As it combines unrivaled skills and star quality, it is often expected to sign a $500 million contract for the first time in Major League history.
Meanwhile, Toronto Blue Jays’ Ryu Hyun-jin, who is recovering from elbow surgery, is speeding up his preparation for his return, aiming for the All-Star break as he predicted. Recently, for the first time in about a year, he played live pitching for one inning.