By Joiner Martínez
03 Oct 2023, 21:47 PM EDT
Japanese player Shohei Ohtani was once again selected as Baseball America’s Major League Player of the Year after he managed to overcome his 2021 and 2022 seasons, despite missing almost the entire last month of the season due to elbow and elbow injuries. the oblique
Ohtani led the American League with 44 home runs, 78 extra-base hits, 325 total bases, a .412 on-base percentage and a .654 slugging percentage. He was fourth in the league with a .304 batting average. He also went 10-5, 3.14 on the mound in 132 innings pitched while holding opponents to a .184 batting average.
With this award Ohtani becomes the fourth player to win two or more MLB Player of the Year awards from Baseball America. Ohtani’s Angels teammate Mike Trout is a four-time winner. Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds won the award three times each. The Angels have now had six POY winners between Trout and Ohtani.
Baseball America has awarded the Major League Player of the Year award since 1998. The award is given to a player in both the American and National Leagues, and is chosen based on the player’s individual performance.
Ohtani’s popularity increases
Ohtani is the leader in jerseys sold this season, according to sales data released by Nike. The Japanese star was in the Top 10 of the list in both 2018 and 2021, but now he is the global leader.
Venezuelan Ronald Acuña Jr. is number 2 on the list, thanks to his spectacular season in which he created a new club, that of 40 home runs and 70 stolen bases. Also among the leaders are Acuña’s Braves teammates, Matt Olson (number 8), Austin Riley (12) and Ozzie Albies (18).
The Dominican Fernando Tatis Jr. (4), the Venezuelan José Altuve (6) and the Dominican Julio Rodríguez are the other Latin Americans in the Top 10 on the list.
Keep reading:
Ronald Acuña Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr. and José Altuve, among the Latinos who sold the most jerseys this season in the Major Leagues
Ohtani will not pitch until 2025: The Japanese star had elbow surgery and will only be a designated hitter in the 2024 MLB season
Venezuelan Ronald Acuña Jr. hit his 40th home run of the season and writes a new page in the history of the Major Leagues (Video)