On May 16, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani suffered a bruised hamstring. However, it did not take him out of the lineup, as he played through the pain.
Ohtani said that the injury has not affected his production at the plate, but the numbers say otherwise. After starting the season like his hair was on fire, he has considerably slowed down, per Dodgers Nation’s Noah Camras.
Los Angeles Dodgers – Shohei Ohtani (Image via USA Today)
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Ohtani is coming off a Thursday night performance against the Texas Rangers where he went 0-for-4 in the loss. It is also worth mentioning that manager Dave Roberts has told the slugger not to push himself with his injury.
Shohei Ohtani still has the chance to make history with a quick turnaround
The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar is coming off a season where he won his second American League MVP Award. And with how he started the 2024 season, fans were certain Shohei Ohtani could take one home this year with the National League.
According to Fanduel, Ohtani holds the second-best odds to win the award. He is listed at +450, while fellow Dodger Mookie Betts is the favorite, sitting at +145.
If Ohtani was able to leapfrog his teammate, he would make MLB history, as no designated hitter has ever won an MVP award since it was introduced during the 1939 season. Some could argue that he had already accomplished this, but he was still pitching when he won his previous two MVPs.
While he still has a ways to go – and a bit of an uphill climb – Ohtani has put his name in the running. It goes to show just how important he is not only to the Dodgers, but the league as a whole.
Fans should not be too concerned with Ohtani’s recent regression, as it is unlikely the club would keep him in the lineup if he could not contribute to the best of his abilities.
