"Shohei Ohtani is doing it all at the same time" - Miguel Rojas in awe of Dodgers teammate as he pursues historic 50-50 season
At this point of his career, it appears that there is nothing Shohei Ohtani cannot do. The Japanese superstar continues to defy what many believed was possible on the field. Although he made a name for himself for his two-way abilities, Ohtani has shown what he is truly capable of when focusing on one aspect of the game.
After an elbow injury ensured Shohei Ohtani couldn't pitch at all this season, the two-time MVP has been a force as a full-time designated hitter. The Los Angeles Dodgers star appears set to make history by becoming the first player in MLB history to win the MVP as a DH, as well as becoming the first to record a 50-50 season.
It's not only fans across the MLB who have been impressed by Ohtani's pursuit of 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season but his teammates and colleagues as well. One such teammate is Miguel Rojas, who spoke on MLB Network Radio about Ohtani's mammoth 2024 campaign.
"It's pretty because the guy is a big human being. It's not like a 6-1, 195 that can be rolling all over the place," Rojas said of Ohtani's base-stealing surge.
Although stolen bases from Ohtani seem to be occuring on a near nightly basis, Rojas does make a good point about the DH not exactly being built like a traditional base-stealer. At 6-foot-4 and over 210 pounds, Ohtani might more closely resemble an NFL player than a baseball speedster.
"You have to put the other element of rehabbing and being ready for next year to pitch," Rojas continued.
One of the most impressive things about Ohtani's 2024 campaign has been the fact that he is actively rehabbing his injured elbow, which has kept him off the mound all season. Rojas said of Shohei Ohtani's work ethic:
"The guy's doing it all at the same time. Being an icon internationally and I feel like that's what kind of impresses me because other than that what the fans and what everybody sees is what he is doing on the field, but what I'm seeing behind the scenes is the thing that impresses me the most."
Shohei Ohtani is the frontrunner to win the 3rd MVP Award of his career
Thanks to the fact that Ohtani could potentially become the first player in MLB history to record a 50-50 season, the Japanese star will likely secure the third MVP of his career.
Although there has been an argument that a full-time designated hitter should not be considered for the MVP, there is no denying the impact he has had in his debut season with the Dodgers.
While Shohei Ohtani appears to have the NL MVP in the bag, New York Mets superstar Francisco Lindor has his fair share of supporters who feel that his contributions on both sides of the field make him an award contender.
Only time will tell if Lindor's defensive excellence will help him overcome Ohtani's offensive brilliance, but for now, the award looks to be the Japanese superstar's.