- Shohei Ohtani is a two-time American League MVP.
- Ohtani regularly achieves things no other player has done before.
- The former Angel has hit the most MLB homers of any Japanese player.
Shohei Ohtani has been a favourite for MVP in MLB odds since he arrived in the majors. Even in a year when he can’t pitch, Ohtani is in the running for NL MVP despite playing purely as a designated hitter.
There was a race to woo Ohtani when he decided to leave NPB. He landed with the Los Angeles Angels, where he soon became one of the sport’s best players and rewrote the record books as both an elite hitter and All-Star-calibre pitcher.
Then, last offseason saw a spectacular sweepstakes for Ohtani in free agency, which ended with a $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Why Is Shohei Ohtani So Special?
Ohtani is special because he defies the notion that a player has to either hit or pitch in MLB. Getting to the big leagues as a position player or a pitcher is hard enough, so how could anyone possibly be good enough to do both?
Ohtani is not just “good enough.” He is elite in both aspects — he led the majors in OPS in 2023, and since the start of 2021, only five pitchers have a better ERA. Over that period, Spencer Strider is the only pitcher with a better strikeout rate.
Over his last three full seasons, Ohtani has won MVP twice and finished runner-up in 2022.
Why Is Shohei Ohtani So Famous?
Ohtani is one of the few baseball players with fame comparable to the biggest NBA and NFL stars. He has captivated audiences far beyond the baseball diehards.
The Oshu native is on his way to being recognized as one of the greatest baseball players ever, and he’s already the most successful two-way player of all time.
In seasons where he is healthy to pitch, Ohtani frequently achieves things that have either not been done in over a century or have never been achieved.
His performances and highlight clips were going viral and creating headlines even on uncompetitive Angels teams, and now he’s part of a stacked Dodgers roster alongside Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and several other All-Stars.
Why Is Shohei Ohtani Called ‘The Unicorn?’
“The Unicorn” nickname has been thrown around a lot across different sports over the last few years. Ohtani is the most deserving – this moniker is used to signify a player with a truly unique skill set.
There is no direct comparison to what Ohtani has done in MLB. Even Babe Ruth did not excel at this level as a hitter and a pitcher for a prolonged period.
Make that THREE doubles for Shohei Ohtani tonight! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/mMIM7O2Jhg
— MLB (@MLB) April 25, 2024
What Ohtani has achieved has changed what is considered possible in baseball. Widespread skepticism has been replaced by universal praise and astonishment at how a player can be both an elite hitter and a Cy Young-contending pitcher.
Did Shohei Ohtani Have a Perfect Game?
No, Ohtani has not had a perfect game as a pitcher. He has flirted with perfection on occasion, however, including taking a perfecto into the sixth inning against the Houston Astros in 2022.
This is one achievement that has eluded him to this point in his MLB career. He has some spectacular individual performances, though, including throwing a complete game against the Detroit Tigers and following it up with a pair of homers in the second game of a doubleheader in 2023.