[155] He also had the fastest speed running from home plate to first base, at 4.09 seconds. Shintaro Fujinami, Shohei Ohtani Steal Spotlight in Athletics Vs. Angels This year's combine goes from February 28 through March 6. . Ohtani placed third in MVP voting (first among pitchers) and was one of three candidates considered for the 2015 Sawamura Award, given annually to the top pitcher in either league. Ohtani's five strikeouts in the game brought him to 157 on the season, a new single-season high eclipsing his 2021 total of 156. . [146], On July 6, 2022, against the Miami Marlins, Ohtani made MLB history again by becoming the first player since RBI became an official statistic in 1920 to record 10 strikeouts as a pitcher, two RBIs as a batter, and a stolen base all in a single game. . Team: Los Angeles Angels (majors) Born: July 5, 1994 in Oshu, Japan jp High School: Hanamaki Higashi (Iwate, Japan) Debut: March 29, 2018 (Age 23-267d, 21,573rd in major league history) vs. OAK 5 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB [5] Ohtani's high school baseball coach, Hiroshi Sasaki, said that he was a fast swimmer who "could have made the Olympics. MESA, Ariz. (AP) Shohei Ohtani had no issues with his pitches or the new clock in his first spring training outing this year, his only one for the Los Angeles Angels before he joins Japan for . TEMPE, Ariz. As Shohei Ohtani stepped to the plate, the Tempe Diablo Stadium public address system blared the bouncy little J-pop tune, "Fashion Monster." The Angels dugout roared in . In 10 starts on the mound, he notched a 42 record with a 3.31 ERA, 1.16 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) and 63 strikeouts. [112], The Angels announced on September 25 that Ohtani was named as both the team's Los Angeles Angels Player of the Year of 2021 and the team's Nick Adenhart Pitcher of the Year Award, as voted by his teammates. Ohtani's eight RBIs were the most by an Angels player since Garret Anderson had a franchise-record 10 RBIs against the New York Yankees on August 21, 2007. [40], He led Nippon Ham to the 2016 Japan Series, but lost the opener to the Hiroshima Carp; he fanned 11 in 6 innings but allowed 3 runs, two on a homer by Brad Eldred and one on a steal of home by Seiya Suzuki. Shohei Ohtani pitched 2 1/3 hitless innings in his only spring training outing on the mound for the Angels before he joins Japan for the World Baseball Classic. [141], Ohtani recorded two home runs, including a grand slam, on May 9, 2022, against the Tampa Bay Rays, marking the second time of the 2022 season and the eighth time in his career for Ohtani to record a multi-homer game, surpassing Ichiro Suzuki for the most by a Japanese-born player in MLB history,[142] while also going 3-for-4 and a career-high five RBIs. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. [56] Making his third start pitching on April 18 against the Boston Red Sox, Ohtani exited after two innings due to a blister on his right middle finger. [3] He was also the first player in MLB history to be an All-Star as both a pitcher and a hitter, as he was a starter in the 2021 All-Star Game in both capacities, as the AL's manager-selected starting pitcher (earning the win) and fan-elected starting designated hitter (as the leadoff hitter). Both the New York Yankees and New York Mets . He also became the fourth Angels player with multiple seasons of 15 home runs and 10 stolen bases prior to the All-Star break and the eighth Major Leaguer since earned runs were official in 1913 to record 40-plus strikeouts and zero earned runs in a four-start span. [152], Against the New York Yankees on August 30, Ohtani launched a go-ahead three-run home run off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in the sixth inning to become the only player in MLB history with 10+ pitching wins and 30+ HR in the same season. [147] The following day, Ohtani set another career high with 13 strikeouts over eight scoreless innings to help lift the Angels to a 5-0 win over the Kansas City Royals, becoming the 19th player in Angels history with 13 strikeouts in a game and the first since Patrick Sandoval on July 24, 2021, against the Minnesota Twins. In it, Ohtani's 2021 season was ranked No.1, topping great seasons by athletes such as Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, and Lionel Messi. FanSided's Robert Murray took a peak at next winter's MLB free-agent class. Now he is healthy again, and House said the key will be for the Angels to manage . Ohtani narrowed his finalists to seven teams, signing with the Angels for a $2.315 million bonus. Angels star Shohei Ohtani bats during a spring-training workout on Feb. 17. Ohtani's best game yet? [72] On July 24, 2020, Ohtani was the first ever automatic player on second base in an official MLB game at the start of the 10th inning as part of one of the new 2020 MLB season rules in a game against the Oakland Athletics. For the month of July, he produced nine home runs, 19 RBIs, 16 walks and a .282/.396/.671 slash line in 23 games at the plate, and a 1.35 ERA with 17 strikeouts and one walk in 20 innings. [5][6], As a teenager, Ohtani could have played baseball for any powerhouse high school team in big cities such as Osaka or Yokohama. He led the event in ERA (Scott Diamond had 12 innings with a 0.00 ERA to Ohtani's 13) and strikeouts (one ahead of Chun-Lin Kuo) while allowing the lowest average by a starting pitcher. In the direct, two versions of Ohtani, one in hitting gear, the other in pitching gear, stood side by side holding devices. [25][26] He tossed a 10 shutout against Orix on September 13 and became the first pitcher out of high school to record a 10 shutout victory within his first two years for the Fighters since Toshiaki Moriyasu in 1967. [103], Ohtani would finish the month of July as the first player in Major League history to ever have at least 37 home runs and 15 stolen bases before the end of July. He was thrown out in a rundown. [2] He had seven outfield assists to one error. He finished the season batting .286/.343/.505 with 18 home runs, 62 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases in 106 games. He hit .257/.372/.592 with 46 homers, 26 doubles, eight triples and 100 RBIs in 155 games last year. the legend of Shohei Ohtani as a two-way player truly began. Shohei Ohtani. [29], On October 5 against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, Ohtani recorded the fastest pitch by a Japanese pitcher in an official game, tying Marc Kroon's all-time record for NPB pitchers. [50], Prior to the start of the season, the Angels announced that they would continue to use Ohtani as both a hitter and a pitcher. Shohei Ohtani has agreed to a $30 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels for the 2023 season in the two-way superstar's final year of arbitration eligibility before free agency.. He went two innings and fanned two, allowing one run (on a double by Yoshitomo Tsutsugo and a single by Jose Lopez), relieved by Nishi with a 10 deficit. Overall, Ohtani pitched seven scoreless innings while striking out 12. [85] In his third start on April 26, once again against the Texas Rangers, Ohtani collected his first win of the season. [67] On October 1, Angels general manager Billy Eppler announced that Ohtani underwent successful Tommy John surgery. His talent on the . Topps Project70 Card 268 - 1975 Mookie Betts by Tyson Beck Project 70 2017 Topps Now Off-Season OS-80 Shohei Ohtani PSA 9 Mint RC 2017 ToppsOS-80 Shohei Ohtani PSA 9RC He became the first left-handed batter in Angels history to reach 40 home runs, surpassing lefty Reggie Jackson's 1982 record of 39. Starting at DH and hitting 5th in Game 2, he homered off Shoichi Ino in the 5th to start the PL comeback from a 30 deficit. [115] On the hitting side, Ohtani finished with an American League-leading 20 intentional walks, which was the most by an AL player since Mike Trout in 2018. [167] He posted a walks per nine innings rate of 3.3 across his NPB career. (Alex Gallardo/AP . [64] He also won the American League Rookie of the Month award twice; in April and in September. [4], Ohtani was born to Kayoko and Toru Ohtani in sh, Iwate, Japan, on July 5, 1994. Ohtani . Good luck. He rarely played the field but did see some action at DH, hitting .202/.252/.376 with 5 home runs in 109 at bats. Positions: Designated Hitter and Pitcher Bats: Left Throws: Right 6-4, 210lb (193cm, 95kg) . [179], For his historic campaign in 2021, Ohtani was named to Time 100's list of most influential people of 2021 [123] and awarded the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award by Commissioner Rob Manfred. Shohei Ohtani 2023 regular season home runs. Of the 15 pitches he threw in the 1st inning, eight were in the 160s; 99s in MPH. [111], From September 22 to 25, Ohtani drew 13 walks in a 4-game span, tying an AL/NL record set by Babe Ruth in 1930, Bryce Harper in 2016, and Yasmani Grandal in 2021. [93], On July 4, Ohtani made history by becoming the first player to be selected as an All-Star as both a position player and a pitcher. Under 34.5. He and Babe Ruth are the only two players in AL and NL history to win at least 10 games on the mound and hit at least 10 home runs in the same season. He threw seven scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts in the Angels' 8-0 victory over the Red Sox, while also going 2-for-4 from the plate and a RBI single in the eighth inning to become the second starting pitcher to ever record a hit at Fenway after Roger Clemens in 1996, since the implementation of the designated hitter in 1973. -115. [17][18] The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters decided to draft him in the 2012 NPB Draft nevertheless, despite knowing that there was a high likelihood he would not play for them. After pitching in his first spring game on Tuesday, Shohei Ohtani flew to Japan overnight via private jet in order to play for his home country in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. [48], On December 8, 2017, Ohtani agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Angels. All these stats were career bests, as were his 196 strikeouts, 0.909 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts per nine innings.[34]. Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 21:18. The proceeds were donated to three Tohoku earthquake children's relief funds. The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly the "favorites" to nab Angels star . Combined with his playing days in Nippon Professional Baseball, Ohtani reached 1,000 strikeouts between NPB (624) and MLB (379). [76], On the offensive side, Ohtani finished the season batting .190/.291/.366 with 7 home runs, 24 RBIs, and 7 stolen bases in 43 games. Calling his own came will help Ohtani pick up the pace. [111] His 11 walks drawn in the three game span also tied the MLB record set by Harper in 2016. [12] In the 2012 18U Baseball World Championship, Ohtani had an 01 winloss record with 16 strikeouts, eight walks, five hits, five runs, and a 4.35 earned run average (ERA) in .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}10+13 innings pitched. [114] In the last game of the season against the Seattle Mariners, Ohtani passed teammate Mike Trout's 45 home runs in a single season to finish with the second-most home runs in a season in Angels history at 46, trailing only Troy Glaus' 47 home runs in 2000. In the bottom of the 10th, he singled off Daichi Osera score Nishikawa with the winner; Nippon Ham would take the next three games to win their second Japan Series title. Entertainment Headlines Today [Fri-03-Mar-2023] "I am tired of crying and overthinking" - Nigerian lady seeks advice on how to stop loving her husband - Linda Ikeji "I lost my wife due to my weak fleshly desires" - Man laments on Facebook - Linda Ikeji "My party was different to that of my children's dad," Precious Chikwendu warns people to stop cursing her children over their father Femi Fani . Ohtani's 1st spring start bumped up to Tuesday. He was born in Oshu, Iwate, Japan, and began playing baseball at a young age. [89] Two weeks later, he was again named AL Player of the Week for the fourth time in his career after hitting six home runs and recording a 1.543 OPS with eight RBIs in six games to help the Angels go 51. Share this article 101 shares share tweet text email link Andy Nesbitt. [86][87], On June 18, Ohtani was elected to the 2021 Home Run Derby, becoming both the first pitcher and the first Japanese player to do so. [181], Ohtani is the cover athlete of MLB The Show 22[182] and is the first Asian player to be featured as the cover star of MLB: The Show. He also became the first AL player to reach both of those totals in a season since Curtis Granderson in 2011. Supreme - the Apartment STAFF Work jacket by saki ; by 's shop ; HOT ! see also Padres' 16-year-old prodigy Ethan Salas already living up to superstar potential Clayton Kershaw, maybe the best pitcher since Sandy Koufax, works as hard as ever to . The Los Angeles Angels are in a precarious position with two-way star player Shohei Ohtani, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the 2023 season. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. [47], Because he was under 25 years old, Ohtani was subjected to international signing rules. [7][19] Hokkaido said it would allow Ohtani to serve as a pitcher and position player; the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had become Ohtani's top-choice MLB team, were not prepared to let him play both ways. Down 2 games to 0, he came up big as the DH in game 3, getting 3 hits, a run and a RBI. Coincidentally, it was also the first-ever grand slam hit by Heim. On the mound, Ohtani went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 156 strikeouts (23 starts). Judge struck out twice, and Ohtani hit a flyout and a popout. [13], Ohtani expressed a desire to move directly to the major leagues after high school and received interest from numerous teams including the Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. [38] In Game 1, he batted for DH Yuya Hasegawa and lined out in the 8th against Scott Mathieson. Widely considered one of . He was the run-away winner of the 2016 Pacific League Most Valuable Player Award, getting 253 of 254 first-place votes (Naoki Miyanishi got the other one) and one second-place vote. Barring a long-term extension in spring training, Shohei Ohtani's future will loom large over the Los Angeles Angels season. - High five SHOHEI OHTANI . 42m 15s. PSA MTG OCG NFT 2018 Topps Finest Refractor #100 Shohei Ohtani Rookie AGC 10 Gem Mint LA Angels 2018 Topps Finest Refrecor100 Shohei Ohtani . Shohei Ohtani, the 2021 AL MVP, is set to be a free agent after next season. [82] Additionally, Ohtani batted second in the lineup. [53] On April 3, Ohtani hit his first MLB home run, a 397-foot three-run homer against Josh Tomlin. [127] From his MLB peers he was given Sporting News Player of the Year Award,[128] Players Choice Player of the Year Award, and Players Choice American League Outstanding Player Award. [113], On September 26, Ohtani reached the 150-strikeout milestone against the Seattle Mariners and finished the year unbeaten at home, going 60 with a 1.95 ERA in 13 starts. [141], The Angels avoided arbitration with Ohtani on October 1, signing Ohtani to a one-year deal worth $30 million for the 2023 season. [136] He became the first player in MLB history to start Opening Day as both the starting pitcher and the leadoff hitter. Masataka Yoshida set the record for a Japanese position player free agent at $90M. Ed Rile and Bullet Rogan also accomplished this feat in the Negro leagues as well. [106], Ohtani would cap off the month of August by stealing his 20th base in a game on August 28 against the San Diego Padres, becoming the first Japanese-born player[107] and the first player in Angels history to hit 40 home runs and have 20 stolen bases in the same season. Shohei Ohtani is now officially the first player to qualify as both a pitcher and a hitter in the same season (based on current qualification rules) Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 5, 2022 Shohei . With the count 01, Ohtani threw a fastball that registered 162km/h (101mph) on the stadium radar gun and shattered Ginji's bat in half. He previously played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) Pacific League. [178] Ohtani was listed in Forbes 30 under 30 Asia class of 2018 in the field of Entertainment & Sports. [35] Norimoto relieved with a 30 lead but he and two other relievers combined to allow four in the 9th to blow it as Japan fell in a shocking defeat. [97], Ohtani participated in the Home Run Derby on July 12. [170], Ohtani is a left-handed batter. [115] According to Baseball-Reference.com, Ohtani led the league with a wins above replacement (WAR) value of 9.1 and finished third in home runs (46), fourth in slugging percentage (.592), fifth in OPS (.965), first in triples (8), fifth in drawing walks (96), eight in stolen bases (26), second in extra base hits (80), second in intentional walks (20), fifth in OPS+ (158), and first in power-speed number (33.2). He finished third in MVP voting again, placing behind Yanagita and Shogo Akiyama for the 2015 Pacific League MVP. As a pitcher, he finished the season with a 30 record in 11 starts. and hit .238/.284/.376 in 204 plate appearances. Valdez outpitched Ohtani with 6 2/3 innings of two-hit ball, and the Astros tied the longest opening day winning streak in major league history with a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on . [135] He pitched 4+23 innings against the Houston Astros, allowing one earned run and one walk while striking out 9. [159], Ohtani was on the 28-man roster for the Japan National Baseball Team of the 2017 World Baseball Classic, but was forced to withdraw due to an ankle injury. [66] The Angels announced on September 25 that Ohtani had agreed to the procedure, which would keep him off the mound until 2020. By Chelsea Janes. [6] Ohtani threw a 160km/h (99mph) fastball as an 18-year-old high school pitcher. He went on to say that while his 2019 had been disappointing, his 2020 had been "more like pathetic", because he could not pitch or hit the way he wanted to. Shohei Ohtani AP. This capped his bonus at $3.557 million and limited him to a rookie salary scale, while the signing team also had to pay a $20 million posting fee to the Fighters. Shohei Ohtani ( , tani Shhei, born July 5, 1994), nicknamed "Shotime",[2] is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher, designated hitter and outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). Coming up with a 54 deficit in the 8th, he singled off Shinji Tajima to bring in Shogo Akiyama with the tying run. [160], Ohtani is a 6-foot-4-inch (1.93m), 210-pound (95kg) right-handed starting pitcher. "[11], Under Sasaki's guidance, Hanamaki Higashi's players lived on campus, returning home for only six days a year. [79] Free of the "Ohtani Rules", Ohtani would be in charge of his own daily diagnostics with Maddon to determine his pitching and hitting schedule. The PL would lose 86 but he got a no-decision. Over 34.5. [78][79] He adjusted his diet based on blood-sample analysis and started squatting heavy again, focusing on strengthening his lower half and bulking up to 225 pounds. This is the online version of our daily . Shohei Ohtani is 9-7 with a 2.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 152 strikeouts in 18 starts this season. 45, one off MLB lead", "Ohtani joins Giants legend Mays in exclusive stat club", "Ohtani a triple threat as Halos rout Mariners", "Fearsome Ohtani walking at historic rate", "Ohtani named team MVP and Pitcher of Year", "46 HRs, 100 RBIs: Shohei caps dream season", "Register Players Encyclopedia - Baseball-Reference.com", "A 2-way and a 2-time MVP in Ohtani, Bryce", "Angels' Shohei Ohtani wins American League MVP", "The '21 All-MLB Team is here. 1 face is a dude that needs an interpreter', "Ohtani's interpreter to catch in HR Derby", "Shohei Ohtani can hit, pitch -- and keep his teammates laughing", "Japanese star Shohei Ohtani reportedly chooses CAA Sports to represent him in the U.S., a sign he's ready to play in the majors", "Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani looks slick in a photo shoot for Porsche", "Thanks To A Show-Stopping 2021, Shohei Ohtani's Endorsement Earnings Have Tripled In A Year", "Shohei Ohtani: Unanimous AL MVP is your MLB The Show 22 cover athlete", "Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani on cover of MLB the Show 22", "MLB The Show 22 - Gameplay Reveal - Nintendo Switch", "Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani lands exclusive memorabilia deal with Fanatics", "How MLB Superstar Shohei Ohtani Made $6 Million In Endorsements Without Even Trying", "MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani takes a stake in crypto firm FTX", "MLB Superstar Shohei Ohtani Joins FTX as Global Ambassador Through Long-Term Partnership", "Tom Brady is sued in connection with FTX collapse", "Tom Brady pushed crypto to his fans. In game 1, he pitched one shutout inning in relief, retiring three consecutive batters. Ohtani's 2021 season was formally recognized as "historically significant" and a "major impact on the sport"[3] by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, as he became the first two-way player in the history of MLB with 10+ home runs and 20+ stolen bases as a hitter and 100+ strikeouts and 10+ pitching appearances as a pitcher in the same season while also holding at least a share of the major league lead in home runs in fourteen starts. You've got the NFBC approach of Ohtani is one player and you have to decide each . [98][99] For participating in the Derby, Ohtani received $150,000, which he proceeded to donate his earnings to approximately 30 Angels support employees to thank them for their work, which included trainers, clubhouse workers and media relations staffers. The deal was finalized the next day. [59] On August 3, Ohtani hit two home runs against the Cleveland Indians, marking his first career multiple-home run game and his first two home runs in a road game. [6] Coached by his father, he displayed an aptitude for the game at an early age. February 22nd, 2023. Rhett Bollinger. [153] Ohtani had a career-best, team-leading 18-game hit streak that began on September 14 and ended on October 3. [91], For the first time in his career, Ohtani was named the American League Player of the Month for June, as he hit .309/.423/.889 with 13 home runs and a 1.312 OPS as a hitter and earned two wins as a pitcher. Even so, it doesn't sound as though two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels are likely to reach a deal before it's go time. The free agency of Shohei Ohtani, baseball's only two-way superstar, looms for the Los Angeles Angels, but Ohtani wants to focus on winning games. He also won the Best Nine award as a pitcher and won the Pacific League MVP. A tiebreaker round saw Ohtani and Soto tied again at 28 home runs. [133] The rule will enable Ohtani to remain in the game after he is done pitching at his customary designated hitter spot instead of being switched to a defensive position like the outfield, something that he did seven times in 2021. For the season, he was 30 with a 4.23 ERA, 33 walks, and 46 strikeouts in 61+23 innings. Ohtani started 2015 NPB All-Star Game 1 for the PL. [94] He had already been selected as the starting designated hitter by the fans for the 2021 All-Star Game on July 1,[95] while being voted by the players as one of five starting pitchers to make the American League roster on July 4. His chase to join the 60-home run club is incredibly fun and, frankly, carrying a lackluster, at this point, Yankees supporting offensive cast has to work in his favor. [129], Additionally, Ohtani's 2021 season was recognized for two Guinness World Records titles: (1) the first MLB player to achieve 100+ innings and record 100+ strikeouts as a pitcher, and 100+ RBIs, hits and runs as a batter in a single season and (2) the first player to start the MLB All-Star Game as a pitcher and a designated hitter. Then in the sixth inning, Ohtani declared himself the most valuable player. [94] On July 7, Ohtani hit his 32nd home run of the year, a solo shot off of Boston Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodrguez, passing Hideki Matsui's mark in 2004, for the most home runs hit during a season by a Japanese-born player in MLB. Facing South Korea again in the semifinals, he was even sharper (11 K, 0 BB, 1 HB, 1 H in 7 IP). [141], In a two game span from June 21 to 22, 2022, Ohtani made MLB history by becoming the first player in the American League or National League to have at least eight RBIs in a game and strike out at least 10 batters the next day. Shohei Ohtani, the reigning AL MVP and one of the most exciting players in all of baseball can also be one of the most confusing players to figure out how to deploy and value in fantasy baseball. 5 DAYS AGO NEWSOBSERVER.COM. Throughout the entire season, Ohtani performed double-duty as a pitcher and outfielder, utilizing his strong throwing arm as well as his impressive batting skills. [73], On July 26, 2020, Ohtani returned to the mound against the Oakland Athletics, making his first pitching appearance since September 2018. [65], On September 3, 2018, ESPN announced that doctors recommended that Ohtani undergo Tommy John surgery, after an MRI showed new damage to his UCL. Ohtani had decided that he was going to use the money in this manner no matter what his Derby outcome was.[100]. The crown jewel will be Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani. [3], In 2022, Ohtani became the first player in the modern era to qualify for both the hitting and pitching leaderboards in one season, reaching the limits of 3.1 plate appearances and one inning pitched per game with 586 at bats against 166 innings pitched. [88] Three days later, Ohtani was named AL Player of the Week for the third time in his career after hitting six home runs and picking up a win as starting pitcher. By DynastyOneStop - Nathan On May 13, 2022. Ohtani said, "[Until 2019], I could more or less do the things I wanted to do. Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani, the 2021 American League MVP and runner-up in 2022, is set to hit free agency in 2023. He won the 2018 American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Award and the 2021 AL Most Valuable Player Award.