"Shohei Ohtani's put the team on his back" - MLB analyst lauds potential NL MVP for carrying Dodgers to playoffs

Shohei Ohtani has been one of the best players in baseball all season. He leads the National League, and by default the Los Angeles Dodgers, in fWAR despite being a DH. His season has been impressive, and one MLB analyst believes he deserves more credit for where the Dodgers are.

The Dodgers were accused of forming a superteam in the offseason and have one of the most talented rosters in the sport, but they've suffered a host of injuries. Mookie Betts has missed time, and the pitching rotation has been torn through. Despite it all, Ohtani's offensive prowess has them on the verge of the NL's top seed.

MLB Network's Mark DeRosa was full of praise for Ohtani on Thursday:

"I marvel at what this man can do, how easy he makes the game look, how much fun he's having playing it. I don't think people truly like, he's going to win the MVP.

"Just take a step back, everything the Dodgers have kind of been through the entire year. ... And he's just exploded. He's put this team on his back and he's carrying them across the finish line, the division is pretty much over."

Ohtani stands to become the first-ever primary DH to win MVP, and he would join an exclusive club of players to win MVP in both leagues.

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Shohei Ohtani ties Japanese history in MLB steals

Shohei Ohtani has already passed 55 steals in one season, an unprecedented amount when paired with his home runs. When he stole his 56th base, he did something only one other Japanese-born player has ever done.

Ichiro Suzuki once stole 56 bases in a single season, which is the record for Japanese players. Ohtani has tied him with four games left, and it feels inevitable that he will steal again. When he does, a new name will be in the record book.

Ohtani's 53 home runs in a season are already the most ever by a Japanese player, so he has set that record by a wide margin already. Based on his current stats, he is on pace to finish with 54 home runs and 57 stolen bases.

Shohei Ohtani has performed well for the Dodgers (Imagn)

All it takes is a little surge to pass his current pace, though. The final three games of the season are in Coors Field, which is a notorious hitter's park. He could easily hit two home runs there and continue setting records.