Shohei Ohtani: Most impressive stat lines of LA Angels MVP's record-breaking 2021 season
ohtani-s-interpreter-reportedly-resigned-los-angeles-angels-mlb-lockout?related" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Shohei Ohtani had a season for the ages in 2021. The Los Angeles Angels phenom referred to as the "Japanese Babe Ruth" slugged 46 home runs and drove in 100 RBIs en-route to being selected as the American League Most Valuable Player. For context, National League Most Valuable Player Bryce Harper hit 35 homers and drove in 85 runs. The difference? Ohtani also pitched to a 3.18 earned run average and held opposing hitters to a .207 batting average.
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The 2021 season for Shohei Ohtani was ridiculous, even by video game standards.
However, which of these amazing statistics best showcase the way Ohtani dominated Major League Baseball? Is it the fact that he put up 9.1 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), or the fact that the next best player (Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler) was 1.9 wins behind, the largest margin since Barry Bonds beat Alex Rodriguez in WAR in the 2002 season?
Perhaps it was the fact that Ohtani made only $3 million in the 2021 season, an absolute bargain considering the fact that fellow Most Valuable Player and Angels teammate Mike Trout made more than 12 times that amount while missing the majority of the season with an injured calf.
The most boggling of statistics comes courtesy of Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com. Castrovince pointed out two main numbers -- .608 and .335. These numbers, respectively, are Shohei Ohtani's slugging percentage as a hitter and the slugging percentage allowed by Shohei Ohtani as a pitcher. Castrovince goes into further detail as to why this stat is so mind-boggling.
What this means is that Ohtani could give up a home run to the next 32 batters he faces, and his opponents’ SLG would still be two points lower than his own.
To illustrate how dominant that is, let's look at 2 players a team would need to have on their roster in order to accomplish the feat Ohtani accomplished. In 2021, Ohtani ranked 4th in slugging percentage in Major League Baseball. In 3rd place, Vladimir Guerrero Jr slugged .601 with Nick Castellanos in 5th place with a slugging percentage for .576.
For a comparable pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buhler held opposing hitters to a slugging percentage of .329.
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Shohei Ohtani combines the excellence of these two players, in a land where he barely speaks the language, all with a smile. We seldom get the chance to pause and recognize the greatness of an athlete while he is in the process of displaying just that.
With an MVP under his belt, his teammates returning to the lineup in good health, and a clean slate for 2022, let's look forward to another stunning Shohei Ohtani MLB season.