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Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani has been on a tear as of late. On Wednesday, in front of a sold-out Guaranteed Rate Field, the slugger made franchise history.
In the first inning, Ohtani blasted a home run, marking the 10th consecutive game with an RBI. He has stepped in the leadoff spot following the injury to Mookie Betts.
Ohtani's red-hot bat over the last few weeks has been exciting to watch. It has gotten to the point that The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya has been blown away by the production.
"He's been dominant ever since sliding into that leadoff role and the Dodgers have kind of needed it," - said Ardaya.
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Through 79 games, Ohtani is hitting .322/.402/.643 with 25 home runs and 61 runs batted in. He is currently on pace to break a career-high in home runs this season and leads the NL in multiple offensive categories.
"He's striking out less than ever, which is probably the biggest thing for him. He has always been the guy who there's been some swing-and-miss to his game because he is a very aggressive hitter. He's gotten a little more selective" - said Ardaya.
Ardaya also mentions Ohtani's decreased strikeout numbers this season. He has gotten more patient at the plate and it has surely paid off.
Dodgers' superstar Shohei Ohtani starting to run away as an early MVP favorite
It was not long ago that Shohei Ohtani was sitting behind his teammate, Mookie Betts, who was the favorite to win the NL MVP Award. However, things have changed with Betts' injury and Ohtani's hot streak.
According to BetMGM, Ohtani sits as a -140 favorite. That will only continue to grow larger if he can keep up this insane production at the plate and keep the Dodgers at the forefront of the division.
On the AL side, Aaron Judge leads the way as a -225 favorite. Here, like Ohtani, has been vital to his team's success this season. For a pair that have been battling to secure the AL MVP when Ohtani was a member of the Los Angeles Angels, they will not have to anymore.
While many could not fathom Ohtani improving his game any further, he has kept those fans quiet. The baseball world is truly watching a generational talent change that is only getting better as he matures.
