April was just the beginning…it will accelerate further from late May! Shohei Ohtani, “Triple Crown Winner & MVP with 60 hits”.
He has already exceeded 10 hits in the early spring, when he usually struggles, and is already in contention for the King's title. He has a 100% success rate in stolen base attempts, has won 9 major league titles, and has no problem with his "only weak point," his low batting average with runners in scoring position!
There is no stopping the monster.
On May 7 (Japan time), Shohei Ohtani (29) hit a two-run homer, tying the game at No. 11, against the Marlins.
In the game against the Braves the day before, he hit a four-hit game, including No. 9 for the second straight game and No. 10, his first two-run homer in one game this season. I was talking to reporters around me, saying, ‘Ohtani is too good for a guy who is often out of shape in the early part of the spring.’ Then he easily hit a high 96 mph pitch from Roderick Munoz, 24, of the Marlins, into the back screen.
Ohtani now leads the majors in nine categories, including batting average (.370), home runs (11), hits (54), and doubles (14) (all figures are as of the 7th). His home run total is on pace to surpass last year’s total of 48 for the year,” said a local reporter.
Ohtani has been hitting hard since the beginning of the season, leading the Dodgers, the world’s most powerful team, with a shocking record of “nine batting titles,” which is something you have never even heard of. It seems as if he has already reached his peak, but this may be just the beginning of a legendary season for Ohtani. Former major leaguer Keiichi Yabu says.
I think Ohtani will get even better from late May to June. Major league pitchers pitch a four- to five-day rotation, and when they pitch five or six games after the season opener, they start to feel fatigue and the quality of their pitches declines. With this performance in April and early May, when pitchers are in good condition, he should be able to hit more home runs at a high pace.
In fact, Otani hit .394 with 15 home runs, 29 runs batted in, and an OPS of 1.444 in June of last year, all of which were better than many of the best hitters in the game, and he was named MVP for the month.
Ohtani’s only weakness is said to be his batting average with runners in scoring position, which is only .225. Some say, “Well, he didn’t get many chances when he was with the Angels, so it can’t be helped.
The number is only at the stage where the number of at bats is still low. If you look at the season total, it should settle down to a level that is comparable to the overall batting average. Besides, Ohtani is a man who has rebounded from critical opinions with results. A normal player might feel pressure when given the chance, but he will turn even negative opinions into strength,” said Yabu.
Although Otani tends to get most of the attention for his slugging, he has already recorded nine stolen bases this season with a 100% success rate, and expectations are high for him to reach 40 hits and 40 stolen bases.
Major league pitchers have a big motion, so they can steal 50 bases, if not 40. He has the potential to hit nearly 60 home runs this season and win the triple crown and the stolen base crown.
In an interview on August 6, Ohtani said, “I hardly look at my own numbers,” as he is going forward thinking only of the team’s victory. If he can lead his team, which is currently leading the West Division of the National League, to a championship, he could become the first Japanese player to win the MVP of both leagues. The prologue is over. Ohtani is moving even faster toward the ultimate goal of becoming the world’s No. 1 hitter.
From the May 24, 2024 issue of FRIDAY
PHOTO： AFLO Jiji Press
