It’s truly remarkable to witness what Shohei Ohtani is accomplishing this season.
The Angels pitcher and designated hitter hit two home runs on Monday night to give him 32 on the season, which followed Saturday’s impressive eight innings of one-run ball on the mound. This season alone, Ohtani has six games of at least two home runs and nine game of 10 or more strikeouts on the mound. No other player has had more than six of each such games over his career.
It makes the Angels’ mediocrity all the more befuddling. The team has two generational talents between Ohtani and Mike Trout, but they haven’t won a playoff series since 2009. The Ohtani-Trout pairing is set to miss the postseason for yet another season. But if you needed to see the perfect encapsulation of Ohtani’s Angels, just check out the team leaderboard.
The Angels' team leaders page is just Shohei Ohtani 😅 pic.twitter.com/ogb26Y8zNK
— Sporting News MLB (@sn_mlb) September 6, 2022
Ohtani leads the Angels is every major hitting and pitching category. He’s putting together an MVP-caliber season with a statistical output that shouldn’t even be possible. Yet, his team is still 28 games out of first place.
There truly is a new “Tungsten Arm” O’Doyle moment everyday.
every time I see an Angels highlight it's like "Mike Trout hit three homes runs and raised his average to .528 while Shohei Ohtani did something that hasn't been done since 'Tungsten Arm' O'Doyle of the 1921 Akron Groomsmen, as the Tigers defeated the Angels 8-3"
— ℳatt (@matttomic) May 18, 2021
But there’s no denying Ohtani’s value. No wonder MLB fans had thoughts about Ohtani’s across-the-board dominance for the Angels this season.
This was how Twitter reacted
If I have any one wish remaining for baseball, it is that for the love of all that is holy, someone please rescue Ohtani and put him on a high-profile team where he will become a champion and a household name, even to non-fans. https://t.co/Y6Qx9RL2Dw
— Roll ‘Bama Roll (@rollbamaroll) September 6, 2022
He should just win MVP every season until he retires https://t.co/uG2CGc9StJ
— Jason DeMasi (@JDeMasi91) September 6, 2022
Fitting. Man’s a multi-generational talent rotting on the Orange County vine. https://t.co/tOHhpLTeJ4
— Len (@LenRavelo) September 6, 2022
When you do all the work for the group project https://t.co/CIjy7QIh4d
— Edgar Salmingo, Jr. ✌️ (@PanthersAnalyst) September 6, 2022
Video game player. Please get him off the Angels https://t.co/BwVWboaDEo
— Kain (@NidayKain) September 6, 2022
dude should be MVP https://t.co/5it5KRL657
— Jamie Lynch (@jelynchjr) September 6, 2022
If you have any enjoyment in baseball, you’ll find this to be remarkable. If you’re a football fan, it’s the same as if Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes led their team in touchdowns and tackles. Incredible. https://t.co/RWLNDYTImA
— Bard The Gamer (@BardPlaysGames) September 6, 2022
You quite literally cannot be more valuable than this .. MVP shouldn’t even be a debate 🫡 https://t.co/bgn09DoSqw
— Brandon Maron (@brandon_maron) September 6, 2022
If you say he isn’t the MVP you are crazy https://t.co/9WJ0NqlLVj
— Andrew (@andrewwxlv) September 6, 2022
He’s the real MVP.
