The word “unexplainable” is overused in sports. Tom Brady's metamorphosis from a sixth-round draft pick to the greatest quarterback of all-time is in a class of its own, but it is a bit easier to fathom when one considers No. 12's unparalleled work ethic, and the tutelage of iconic New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Michael Jordan was a tremendously gifted athlete, but his endless drive also helped him achieve immortality. Shohei Ohtani obviously has a wealth of ambition himself, but that does not completely explain his ability to flourish as both a hitter and pitcher.
Many great players work tirelessly to hone their craft, and they do not come close to reaching the Japanese superstar's ceiling. He boasts an unprecedented combination of skill, size, strength, speed and mental fortitude, making him truly inexplicable. Ohtani is human, but for how much longer? The Los Angeles Dodgers juggernaut claimed his fourth MVP award on Thursday, and for the fourth time, he did so in unanimous fashion.
Ohtani now stands alone in second place on MLB's all-time MVP list, three away from tying legendary slugger Barry Bonds for the most ever. My choice to include Tom Brady and Michael Jordan in the same paragraph as this two-way force might have been misconstrued as a GOAT argument. I will not bestow that honor on Ohtani at this time. However, if the two-time World Series champion can break the MVP record, he could have a compelling case.
And I believe he will in fact leap above Bonds before retiring from baseball. Here is why.
Shohei Ohtani has a clear edge on his NL competition
Aaron Judge, who just collected another MVP in his own right, has widely been considered MLB's best player in each of the last two seasons. If there was only one award handed out, it would presumably go to him in both 2024 and 2025. But one does not climb Mount Everest without plenty of good fortune. Ohtani's brilliance is unquestioned, and he is also positioned nicely in the National League.
Both things can be true, and if they remain that way, he should keep bringing home MVP plaques. The Senior Circuit houses a plethora of stars like Juan Soto, Bryce Harper, Francisco Lindor, Geraldo Perdomo, Paul Skenes, Trea Turner and Corbin Carroll (Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso and Kyle Tucker are all free agents). Heck, Ohtani shares a clubhouse with two future Hall of Famers in Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. However, without a WAR machine like Judge roaming around, No. 17 could maintain control of the NL for the years to come.
If one removes the 2.87 ERA and 62 strikeouts that Ohtani recorded in 47 innings pitched this past season, he would still own a higher WAR (wins above replacement) than both Schwarber and Soto, the second and third-place finishers for NL MVP. Advanced metrics are obviously not everything when it comes to recognizing the best in the league, but it certainly carries significant influence in the modern age.
The reason Shohei Ohtani has this advantage is not strictly because of his competition. He has earned it by being fantastic at the dish and on the mound.
Ohtani's versatility is extremely difficult to overcome
The left-handed hitter and right-handed hurler posted a .282 batting average, .392 on-base percentage, .622 slugging percentage and 1.014 OPS with 55 home runs and 102 RBIs, while also tossing 14 2/3 innings of shutout ball in September. If he is healthy, no one else should theoretically win MVP.
Ohtani eased himself back into pitching this year, so he will ideally be ready for an increased workload in 2026. Assuming he fares well in both areas, Shotime should remain seated in his throne. Health and age could certainly impede his march toward history — has underwent multiple elbow surgeries and will turn 32 next July — but I am trusting this once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon to adapt. After all, he has an incredibly deep bag of tricks.
Ohtani can bury opponents with his elite power, a devastating sweeper and savvy base-running. He can't pitch? No problem, the NL Championship Series MVP started the 50-50 club in 2024. He finds ways to reinvent himself, the perfect trait for someone chasing a seemingly unachievable milestone.
Barry Bonds, while being a five-tool player and multi-time MVP winner with the Pittsburgh Pirates, ascended into rarefied air in the late 1990s and early 2000s while playing for the San Francisco Giants. He rattled off four consecutive MVP awards, turning what was already a Hall of Fame career into an all-time great one. Although Bonds denies knowingly using them, performance-enhancing drugs likely boosted him to this mystical stretch.
Therefore, topping his seven MVP crowns without steroids figures to be a grueling mission in this day and age. Again, though, one cannot apply rationale to Ohtani. It will be tight, but with his multifaceted skill set, and ample protection in the Dodgers lineup, he can seize the No. 1 spot.
Four down, four to go.
