“Ohtani is a lock for MVP even if the season ends now.”
This was actually said by American media in the middle of the season. Some were half-joking, others were serious, but it’s about to become a reality. Shohei Ohtani, 29, of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, was actually declared “out for the season” on August 24 after the first game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds due to ulnar collateral ligament damage in his elbow.
He missed the entire three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 5-7, and then missed the first game of a four-game home series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Aug. 8. He was out of the starting lineup for four straight games after suddenly complaining of side pain during batting practice before Game 5.
The Angels have not yet declared Ohtani “out for the season,” but it’s clear that the four-game absence hasn’t dampened his MVP hype. On Aug. 8, MLB.com released the results of its mock MVP voting for both leagues. Ohtani received the first-place vote from all 54 experts. It was unanimous.
In 135 games this season, Ohtani is batting .304 with 151 hits in 497 at-bats, 44 home runs, 95 RBI, 102 runs scored, a .412 on-base percentage, a .654 slugging percentage and a 1.066 OPS. He is first in the American League in home runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, third in RBI, second in runs scored, and fourth in batting average.
Those numbers alone are MVP-worthy. On the mound, he’s 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 games, 132 innings pitched, 167 strikeouts, 0.184 WHIP, and 1.06 WHIP. That’s down a bit from last year, when he went 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA, but with that kind of hitting and pitching, he’s hard to beat. In fact, he could end his season right now and still win his second consecutive unanimous MVP award in 2021. This mock poll shows that public opinion agrees. 카지노사이트
As MLB.com notes, “Ohtani was a unanimous first-place vote in the last poll. Despite suffering a season-ending elbow injury as a pitcher, he’s still the overwhelming MVP favorite.” Even if he doesn’t make it next year, it’s not for nothing that he’s expected to command at least $500 million in free agency. He has the numbers to prove it.
Meanwhile, the second through fifth place finishers in the American League MVP mock poll are Corey Seager (Texas Rangers), Julio Rodriguez (Seattle Mariners), Kyle Tucker (Houston Astros), and Yandy Diaz (Tampa Bay Rays). Of course, there’s a strong feeling of an Acorns renaissance.