MVP Favorites for 2024 MLB Season || NL

Edition #145

INTRO:

There’s only a month left in the MLB season, and MVP decisions are looming. I’m beginning another series (2-part) looking at both leagues and deciding who the MVP is.

NL:

I guess I have less work for this one because there’s only exactly one player I have to talk about. His name is Shohei Ohtani, the 43/43 superstar. Yes, Shohei is the first-ever player to hit 43 home runs and steal 43 bases in the same season. Nope, Babe Ruth has never done it. Nope, Jackie Robinson never did it. Nope, Ken Griffey never did it. Heck, never did Willie Mays do it. What an accomplishment this man has achieved.

https://twitter.com/TheAthletic/status/1829741441842598301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1829741441842598301%7Ctwgr%5E72b79e047ed07bc29759432be86f0c14ffd4710d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fathletic%2F5735565%2F2024%2F08%2F31%2Fshohei-ohtani-dodgers-43-season%2F

First off all, Ohtani was the first Dodgers and the fastest ever to get a 40/40 season. If you thought you heard this same talk about a 40/40 season last year, you’re right. Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Braves also accomplished the same feat. The only difference was, and it’s a big difference, he did it in 154 games, while Ohtani did it in 126. The only other members of the 40/40 club are Alfonso Soriano, Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, and Jose Canseco.

Another thing that happened last year and this year was history. Last year, Acuna created his own historical club being the first player ever with a 40/70 season. On Friday, August 30th, Ohtani created his own club with a 43/43. Actually, forgive me, but after Sunday’s games, it’s now 44/43.

This season is way too historical for Shohei Ohtani to not win the MVP award. He’s now currently on pace for a 50/50 season and with 2 more games like Friday’s (1 home run and one stolen base), he’ll match Rickey Henderson’s record of those types of games in a season with 13. He’s only in his first season with the Dodgers, but he’s already accomplishing so much. With 9 years, left, who knows what more will happen with Shohei Ohtani!

I get that Bryce Harper is having a fantastic season, but is he batting close to .300? No. Is he having a 40/40 season? No. Shohei Ohtani’s winning this award, by quite a lot, and will join Mookie Betts as another player to win an MVP award in both the AL and the NL.