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On Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, Shohei Ohtani reminded everyone why he’s still the face of baseball — and the frontrunner for National League MVP.
During his start against the St. Louis Cardinals, Ohtani lit up the radar gun, firing a 100 mph fastball to end the first inning, a moment that sent the crowd into a frenzy and had social media buzzing. The Dodgers’ official X account simply posted, “Shohei hits 100 to end the inning!” while Dodger Nation added, “100 MPH FILTH FROM SHOHEI OHTANI AND THEN HE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWS UP WITH A LEADOFF SINGLE.”
Shohei hits 100 to end the inning! pic.twitter.com/UMJ3d4F1Mn
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 6, 2025
Yeah, that’s peak Shohei.
It all came during a high-energy afternoon at Chavez Ravine, where fans showed up early to claim replica Shohei Ohtani World Series rings as part of a promotional giveaway. Aerial shots from SkyFOX captured massive lines wrapped around the ballpark — a reminder of Ohtani’s star power and impact on the fanbase.
Will Kyle Schwarber pass the Dodgers star in the MVP race?
But while Shohei continues to dazzle on both sides of the game, his lead in the 2025 MVP race isn’t quite as dominant as it once seemed. Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber has launched himself into the conversation with a historic offensive tear over the last month.
Schwarber now leads the National League with 40 home runs and 94 RBIs, slashing .258/.382/.591 with a 162 OPS+ and a 4.1 WAR. He’s been especially lethal since winning All-Star Game MVP, hitting .318 with 10 bombs in just 17 games. His red-hot bat has helped push Philadelphia to the top of the NL East standings.
Ohtani, on the other hand, has cooled off slightly. His post-All-Star break numbers (.233/.346/.491 with nine homers in his last 30 games) aren’t quite what we saw in the first half. Still, he’s slashing .276/.380/.601 overall with 38 homers, 73 RBIs, 105 runs, and 16 steals. Add in his work on the mound — 2.40 ERA, 17 strikeouts in 15 innings — and Ohtani’s value as a two-way star remains unmatched.
The MVP debate is shaping up to be one of the most compelling in years, with two designated hitters leading the charge — a rarity in itself. Ohtani is chasing what would be his third MVP as a two-way player and second straight as a Dodger. Schwarber is putting up power numbers reminiscent of past MVP winners like Harmon Killebrew and Andre Dawson.
If Schwarber somehow reaches 60 home runs and 150 RBIs, the voters will have a decision to make. But until then, Sho-Time remains the man to beat — especially when he’s dialing it up to triple digits and smashing leadoff singles like it’s routine.
