Shohei Stakes Early Claim On National League’s Most Valuable Player Award

By Dan Schlossberg

Neither surgery nor the shadow of a gambling scandal could stop Shohei Ohtani from becoming an instant success after switching leagues.

Through the first month of the season, the $700 Million Man of the Los Angeles Dodgers led the National League in slugging while teammate Mookie Betts — who bats in front of him — ranked first in batting average and on-base percentage.

No wonder the Dodgers top the NL West again despite a wobbly pitching staff held up mainly by newly-acquired Tyler Glasnow, who leads the league in strikeouts, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is finally finding his footing after a start shakier than the earthquakes of his native Japan.

What a tandem! The Dodgers start their lineup with the left-right tandem of MVP contenders Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts.Photo byWikimedia

Ohtani, who bats left-handed but throws right-handed, can’t pitch this year as he heals from elbow (but not Tommy John) surgery. The Dodgers don’t seem to mind since he’s generating tons of merchandise sales and is also the man most responsible for Yamamoto signing with L.A. ($325 million, 12 years) after a protracted bidding war also involving both New York teams.

Because he wears No. 17, Ohtani has spawned a Japanese holiday on the 17th day of every month.

That’s when the people of Oshu, his hometown, wear their Ohtani jerseys en masse while celebrating Ohtani Day.

The chief cheerleaders are known as the Ōendan, or Shohei Ohtani Hometown Cheering Team.

According to Phil Nevin, his last manager with the Angels, “All he does and all he wants is about one thing: he wants to win. And he’s probably the smartest baseball player I’ve ever been around.”

That never happened during his six-year tenure in Anaheim, where the Angels failed to have even one winning season — let alone reach the playoffs.

With Ronald Acuna, Jr. and Matt Olson mired in month-long slumps to start the season, Ohtani already has first dibs on the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award (he’s already won it twice in the American League).

If he wins, Ohtani will join Frank Robinson (1961 Reds, 1966 Orioles) as the only men to take the trophy in both leagues. He should also join Robinson in the Baseball Hall of Fame the minute he becomes eligible.

Opponents of the Dodgers face a nightly troika of Betts, Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman — arguably the best top-third of a lineup anywhere in baseball.

All have long-term contracts, with the 29-year-old Ohtani signed through 2034.

No wonder Dave Roberts is smiling.

Former AP sportswriter Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ is weekend editor of Here’s The Pitch, national baseball writer for forbes.com, and contributor to Sports Collectors Digest, USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Memories & Dreams, MLB Report, and many other outlets. His latest book is a hardcover Hank Aaron biography. E.mail Dan via ballauthor@gmail.com.