Hold your horses everybody.
Before you concede the American League MVP Award to Aaron Judge, there’s a certain someone who may be making a late push.
That would be Shohei Ohtani, the reigning AL MVP, who has carried the torn apart Los Angeles Angels on his back along with Mike Trout.
The two-way phenom took a no-hitter into the eighth inning last night against the Oakland Athletics, while also picking up two hits at the plate.
He’s also on a 14-game hit streak, a streak in which he’s hitting .365.
In that same span, the right-hander is 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA, striking out 25 batters and allowing just eight hits in 20 innings.
Shohei Ohtani is hitting .365 during his current 14-game hitting streak.
He is 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA during that span, striking out 25 and allowing 8 hits in 20 innings.@Angels | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/qrWEihqHTw
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 30, 2022
Why Ohtani Could Still Win MVP
Judge may be the overwhelming favorite, but you can’t count Ohtani out of it just yet.
In 561 at-bats this season, he’s hit .275 with 34 home runs, 94 RBI, and an .887 OPS.
While those stats aren’t quite up there with some of Judge’s stats, it’s also worth noting how good he’s been on the mound.
He’s started 27 games and posted a 15-8 record with a 2.35 ERA and 213 strikeouts in 161 innings.
It’s mainly the fact that Ohtani can do both that is keeping him alive in the AL MVP race.
At the very least, he deserves some consideration for it.
There might not be a more dynamic or talented player in all of baseball, even while Judge is making a push for the Triple Crown.
Ohtani can’t be counted out as he eyes a repeat as the AL MVP.
Not since Babe Ruth have we seen a player that can hit and pitch at a high level.
That should at least garner him some consideration for the award.
With six games left, a lot can happen, but Ohtani is still alive and well in the MVP conversation.
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