Shohei Ohtani took a Grand Canyon-sized lead for MVP with 2 home runs, 10 strikeouts against White Sox

I can’t say for sure because, you know, I wasn’t alive then, but 2023 Shohei Ohtani is probably what it was like to watch prime Babe Ruth… right? He is the unquestioned best player in baseball, at the peak of his powers, putting on an unprecedented show every single day.

Tuesday’s masterclass against the White Sox — where Ohtani socked two dingers AND struck out 10 batters — is emblematic of the simply incredible the Los Angeles Angels superstar is capable of.

The transcendent effort also made him the far-and-away lead horse for another AL MVP honor. Right now, oddsmakers with DraftKings have Ohtani as a -1200 favorite for AL MVP. The next best player is Corey Seager, who, by comparison to Ohtani, has meager and extremely small +3000 odds.

In other words, Ohtani’s individual play would probably have to fall off a cliff over the next few months to NOT win a second career MVP award.

Beyond Ohtani annihilating the competition every day, another (kind of unexpected?) notch in his belt is the recent quality of the Angels as a team.

For once, Los Angeles looks like a bona fide playoff contender, currently holding an AL Wild Card spot with a 44-37 record. There’s a long way to go before old friend Tungsten Arm O’Doyle could rear his ugly head again, but Ohtani playing well for a postseason contender likely only cements his MVP case.

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