Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Gets MVP Endorsement From National Writer

It’s crazy to think that the regular season is two-thirds of the way done, which means the end-of-season awards predictions are going to start coming more often.

Starting with the National League Most Valuable Player, which is going to Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, according to national baseball writer Jon Heyman.

“I do believe Shohei Ohtani is the [NL] MVP at this point,” Heyman said. “Right now, with [Mookie] Betts having missed two months, the other guys having great years being DHs also like Marcell Ozuna. [Therefore], I do believe that Ohtani is the MVP in the National League.”

Ohtani is on pace for a monster season — his first with the Dodgers and in the National League. He’s also doing everything while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery.

If he were to capture the hardware, it would make all sorts of baseball history.

It would be his third MVP win which would tie him with Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Mike Schmidt, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella, Stan Musial, Joe DiMaggio and Jimmie Foxx.

Ohtani would become only the second player to win an MVP award in both leagues, joining Frank Robinson who won with the Cincinnati Reds in 1961 and the Baltimore Orioles in 1966.

Entering Wednesday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Ohtani leads the NL in several categories including runs (90), home runs (37), slugging (.623), OPS (1.007), OPS+ (180), and total bases (287).

He’s also inching closer toward a 40-40 season, which would also put him in an elite club as there are only five members currently. Through Wednesday’s game, Ohtani has 37 home runs and 35 steals. If this pace holds over the last 40 games of the season, the designated hitter should finish around 52 home runs and 48 steals.

The Dodgers’ single-season home run record is 49, set by Shawn Green in 2001. Ohtani’s career-high is 46. He is setting a new career-best with every bag he swipes since passing his previous best of 26 on July 28.

Ohtani’s season is one for the record books. No Dodger has ever hit 40 home runs and stolen 40 bases in the same season and that should be changing any day now.

Photo Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

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