- Shohei Ohtani Secures His Third Consecutive Award as Best Designated Hitter
- Ohtani Matches David Ortiz in Consecutive Accolades in This Category
- His Versatility as a Batter and Pitcher Continues to Set Records in Major League Baseball
Shohei Ohtani’s Major Recognition
On Thursday, Shohei Ohtani was recognized as the Best Designated Hitter in Major League Baseball, achieving this honor for the third consecutive time, a feat previously only accomplished by David Ortiz. Ohtani excelled with the Los Angeles Angels, hitting .304 with 44 home runs, 96 RBIs, eight triples, and 20 stolen bases. However, his season ended prematurely on September 3 due to an oblique injury.
In addition to his success as a batter, Ohtani also shone as a pitcher, achieving a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts on the mound. He recorded 167 strikeouts and issued 55 walks in 132 innings, until an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament of his right elbow sidelined him on August 23. David Ortiz, for his part, had won the Best Designated Hitter award for five consecutive years, from 2003 to 2007.
At 29 years old, Ohtani was not only chosen over other prominent players like Marcell Ozuna from Atlanta, Yordan Álvarez from Houston, Bryce Harper from Philadelphia, and J.D. Martínez from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the voting but also unanimously won the American League MVP title for the second time, repeating his 2021 achievement. Both Ohtani and David Martínez became free agents after the World Series, opening up the possibility of new stages in their careers.
Betting Implications
From a betting perspective, Shohei Ohtani’s impressive achievement as the Best Designated Hitter for the third consecutive year positions the Los Angeles Angels as a team to watch in future betting. Ohtani’s unique skill in both batting and pitching makes him a key factor for any forecast related to the Angels. Furthermore, his unanimous designation as the American League MVP for the second time heightens interest and expectations for his performance in the upcoming season. For bettors, closely following Ohtani’s career and his impact on game outcomes will be essential, especially with the possibility of him changing teams as he becomes a free agent.
In this MLB betting guide, you can see the options and odds for the Angels in upcoming games.
