MLB analyst backs $341,000,000 slugger as threat to beat out Shohei Ohtani for NL MVP

Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani is coming off his second consecutive MVP Award. He now has three, winning his first one in 2021, and then his next two in 2023 and 2024.

With his expected return to the mound later this season, he is a front-runner to win it again in 2025. However, he does have some stiff competition in the National League.

MLB analyst Mark DeRosa believes Francisco Lindor could give Ohtani a run for his money. He has been playing lights-out, especially over the last few weeks.

"He finished second last year to Ohtani [in the] NL MVP. He'd be your leading vote getter right now, the way I see it," said DeRosa.

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DeRosa points to how calm the Mets slugger has looked at the plate this season. Through 21 games, he is hitting .271/.323/.424 with four doubles, three home runs, nine runs batted in, and two stolen bases.

"Slows the moment down consistently, and that's what I see when he comes to the plate. Everything is noisy around him, and it doesn't impact him at all" DeRosa added.

Lindor's biggest swing this year so far came on Friday. With the game tied in the ninth inning, he blasted a walk-off home run to secure the 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Francisco Lindor must stay hot if he wants to overtake Shohei Ohtani as the NL MVP winner

New York Mets - Francisco Lindor (Photo via IMAGN)

Francisco Lindor must continue to be at his best all season long if he wants to overtake Shohei Ohtani as the 2025 NL MVP winner. He will be facing an uphill battle all year long, especially when the three-time MVP returns to the bump.

Ohtani's two-way nature puts him in his own class, which makes it hard for the rest of the NL to stack up. Nobody else can do what he does on both sides of the ball.

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The Dodgers are taking their time ramping him back up. They do not want him to pitch before he is ready, further injuring himself and putting the organization in a hole.

Manager Dave Roberts believes Ohtani will be back on the mound sometime in May. That is, if everything continues to progress well and he does not see any setbacks.

Lindor must keep his foot on the gas pedal and keep leading the Mets to victories. If he lets up, it could be easy for voters to give Shohei Ohtani his third consecutive MVP award.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom