(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Angels slugger and star pitcher Shohei Ohtani followed up his amazing 2021 with another MVP-like performance in 2022.
Last year, Ohtani hit 34 home runs and posted an incredible 2.33 ERA.
Unfortunately for him, New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge took home MVP honors after breaking the old American League home run record for a single season, with 62.
Well, Ohtani is on an insane home run pace this campaign, so great that he is actually following in Judge’s footsteps and even improving upon his performance.
“Aaron Judge’s 31st HR last year –> 89th Yankees game. Shohei Ohtani’s 31st HR this year –> 86th Angels game,” Codify Baseball tweeted.
Aaron Judge’s 31st HR last year –> 89th Yankees game
Shohei Ohtani’s 31st HR this year –> 86th Angels gamepic.twitter.com/V6QqpRawYE
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) July 2, 2023
31 home runs is the halfway point to 62.
Judge got to 31 last year in the Yankees’ 89th game, but Ohtani has reached that mark in the Angels’ 86th contest this season.
Just when you thought Ohtani had peaked, he always has something else in store as a “wow” factor.
The 2021 AL MVP and 2023 World Baseball Classic champ and MVP is hitting .306/.390/.670 with the league-leading 31 long balls.
The second-ranked player in MLB, Matt Olson, has 28, and the next-best AL hitter is Luis Robert Jr. with 24.
Oh, and Ohtani is also sporting a 3.02 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 95.1 innings as a hurler.
He has been the unquestioned ace of the Angels rotation.
With Judge on the shelf with a torn toe ligament and no one in the American League coming even close to Ohtani’s performance, the Japanese star is looking like he will be running away with his second MVP award after the season, just like he did in 2021.
The post Shohei Ohtani Is Matching An Elite Home Run Pace appeared first on The Cold Wire.