Shohei Ohtani Doesn’t Deserve To Win MVP

Shohei Ohtani is having another fine season. More importantly, he’s been able to stay healthy. Despite not being able to pitch, Ohtani is showing that he is still a force offensively. It’s a huge reason why the Dodgers lead the NL West by an extensive margin over the Diamondbacks. The Japanese superstar is no doubt going to garner MVP votes. However, due to him just being a designated hitter, he shouldn’t win the NL MVP award.

Ohtani Is Having Another Fantastic Year

Despite a tumultuous start to his season, Ohtani has been showing us why he’s a premier player in this league. So far this season, he is showing why Los Angeles dumped $700 million to sign him. The Japanese star is slashing .316/.402/.643 with 28 home runs, 65 RBI, and a 1.045 OPS. While Ohtani is putting up MVP numbers, it takes more than just hitting to win a baseball game. There are also the elements of hitting and defense. This season, Ohtani has only been a designated hitter and done nothing in the field.

He Doesn’t Make The Difference You Might Think

Ohtani has had the benefit of having significantly better players around him compared to his time with the Angels. He’s benefited from guys like Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Teoscar Hernandez, and Max Muncy around him. One can argue that Betts and Muncy have been on the IL, however, he’s still had the benefit of having Freeman and Smith. Ohtani doesn’t provide the difference to the Dodger lineup that fans may think.

Los Angeles would still be a postseason contender if they didn’t have Ohtani. Last season, despite losing Trea Turner, Cody Bellinger, and Julio Urias; Los Angeles cruised to 100 wins and another AL West title. The Dodgers signed the Japanese superstar because they can. While he makes the team significantly better, the team wouldn’t fall apart without him.

This Isn’t The First Time The DH MVP Debate Has Come Up

This isn’t the first time the question of whether a primary designated hitter should win the MVP award. Back in 2005, while being the Boston Red Sox’s primary DH, David Ortiz finished the season slashing .300/.397/.604 with 47 home runs, 148 RBI, and a 1.001 OPS. Ortiz’s 148 RBI led the league. Ortiz also paced the Red Sox in all major offensive categories and he was a reason why Boston made the postseason. However, Yankees star Alex Rodriguez edged him in the MVP voting by five first-place votes. A reason why Ortiz lost out to Rodriguez that year was because he seldom played the field.

The same argument can be used against Shohei Ohtani. When he’s healthy enough to pitch, Ohtani provides value both offensively and defensively. However, he’s not pitching this season and only provides value to the Dodgers offense. While poor defensive players have won the award, they’ve had the opportunity to provide value on the field. All Ohtani has done is wait for his turn to bat, not take the field. No player should be given the highest regular season honor for just hitting and not taking the field at all.

Designated Hitters Don’t Deserve MVP Awards

Shohei Ohtani is no doubt having another fantastic season. The Japanese star is proving once again why he’s one of the most electric players in baseball. However, there’s a reason why a designated hitter has never won an MVP award, they provide no value defensively. Ohtani shouldn’t be treated any differently. He doesn’t provide the difference in the Dodgers’ lineup that fans might think. The Dodgers would still win the NL West and make the postseason without him. There’s more to winning a baseball game than just hitting, there’s pitching and defense which a team arguably needs more than offense to be successful. Shohei Ohtani provides all his value on offense and shouldn’t be awarded for only contributing to one phase of the game.

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