Los Angeles Angels: Shohei Ohtani running out of steam

At this point, it is clear that Shohei Ohtani is the frontrunner for the AL MVP award. The Los Angeles Angels star is doing something that has not been seen in major league history, proving to be a dominant force with the bat while being an ace on the mound. He has captivated the minds of baseball fans while drawing attention to the game.

It is easy to understand why. Ohtani has posted a 155 OPS+ in his 569 plate appearances this season, belting 44 homers and stealing 23 bases. Meanwhile, he has a 3.36 ERA and a 1.118 WHiP, striking out 136 batters in his 115.1 innings of work. Now that he is finally healthy, Ohtani has been everything that the Angels could have dreamed of.

Shohei Ohtani hitting the wall for Los Angeles Angels

Considering his workload this season, his overall performance has been remarkable. He has appeared in 139 of the Angels’ 146 games this season, even getting an inning in the field. It would not be a surprise if Ohtani was to wear down as the season has gone on.

And that has been the case. Since the end of July, Ohtani has produced a .199/.333/.382 batting line in his 165 plate appearances, striking out 51 times. He has still provided value in the lineup, hitting seven homers while stealing eight bases and drawing 27 walks, However, he has not been the force of nature that he was at the beginning of the year.

It really should not be much of a surprise. Ohtani has played virtually every day, including his time as a pinch hitter in National League parks. He is easily the best hitter in the Angels’ lineup, and with his status as the team ace, it is not shocking that he would have hit a wall.

This season also serves as a test run for the Angels. Ohtani has been relatively healthy all year, making the Angels the first team to have to figure out how to work a full time two way player in decades. There is going to be some trial and error. As the Angels have been out of contention, this has been a good year to figure out how to handle their unique star.

Shohei Ohtani has slowed down over the past few months. Considering his workload with the Los Angeles Angels, this is not a surprise.