*This content was translated by AI.
U.S. Major League Baseball (MVP) superstar Shohei Ohtani (32, Los Angeles Dodgers) may lose this season's MVP title as soon as possible, according to a local prediction in the U.S.
U.S. media Sports Illustrated reported, "Juan Soto (28), who plays for the New York Mets, has the potential to become MVP this season."
Ohtani is having his best time, being unanimously named the National League MVP for the last three consecutive seasons.
Ohtani, who was solely dedicated to hitters the following year, 2024, due to elbow ligament joint surgery (Tommy John Surgery) he underwent in 2023. And Ohtani wrote a new history of 50 home runs and 50 steals for the first time in the major leagues in the 2024 season. In 159 games, he played a batting average of 0.310 (197 hits in 636 at-bats), 54 home runs, 38 doubles, seven triples, 134 runs with 130 RBIs, 162 strikeouts with 81 walks, a on-base percentage of 0.390 (4 failures), a slugging percentage of 0.646 and an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 1.066. He ranked second in home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS in the National League.
In the 2025 season, he played in 158 games with a batting average of 0.282, 55 home runs, 102 RBIs, 20 steals, and 1.014 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). He hit the mark of 50 home runs and 100 RBIs for two consecutive seasons. In addition, he proudly ranked No. 1 in the National League scoring category, No. 1 in the OPS, and No. 2 in the home run category. In June last year, he returned to pitching and hitting again. As a pitcher, he took the mound in 14 games in the 2025 season, marking a 1-1 record with a 2.87 ERA.
Of course, Ohtani is one of the strongest MVP candidates in the 2026 season. However, there is one more strong candidate to stop him from winning the MVP award. New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto is the main character.
Soto played in 160 games in the 2025 season, batting .263, 43 homers, 105 RBIs and 38 steals. Sports Illustrated said, "If you say a player who has the potential to take MVP away from Ohtani in the 2026 season, that would be Soto," adding, "He can show not only good batting ability but also sufficient value in on-base ability and stolen bases." Therefore, it can be said that Soto also has a strong power to win the MVP."
Last year, Soto stood tall as the third player in big league history with 40 home runs, 100 RBIs, 100 walks, 100 points and 30 steals, and the first player in the 21st century. Will Soto be able to beat Ohtani to win the real MVP.
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*This content was translated by AI.
