Less than halfway through the season, the AL MVP race appears over. And it’s not even close. Shohei Ohtani is playing the best baseball of his career for the best Angels team of his career.
If not for Aaron Judge hitting 62 home runs last year, Ohtani would be looking at a third straight MVP. Think about this when you want a quick appreciation of the wonder of Ohtani: The same guy who leads the major leagues in home runs (22, tied with Pete Alonso) also is the toughest pitcher to hit (5.6 hits per nine innings).
If you think back to pre-Ohtani days, the idea that the best home run hitter in baseball could also be the toughest pitcher to hit would be mind-blowing. It still should be. Because Ohtani is three seasons into elite two-way duty should not diminish the amazement. It should enhance it. There have been better hitters and better pitchers, but because he has done both this well for this long, Ohtani is the most amazing player ever.
