Angels News: Is Shohei Ohtani Having the Greatest Single Season Ever?

He's been unbelievable in his second full season as a two-way player.

We're running out of adjectives to describe Shohei Ohtani. He's truly baseball's unicorn.

On any given night, there's a good chance Ohtani will do something that's never been done before — or at least something none of us have ever seen. 

Coming off a 2021 season in which he was named the unanimous MVP, it wouldn't have been a surprise if he took a step back. No one would have blamed him for falling out of the ranks in at least one of the categories he excels in.

But instead, Ohtani did the opposite.

Ohtani has had All-Star seasons as both a hitter and pitcher, and has made incredible amounts of history in the process.

As a hitter, he ranks among the American League's best in home runs, RBIs, triples, runs scored, slugging percentage and even intentional walks. 

As a pitcher, he ranks among the American League's best in wins, ERA, strikeouts, WHIP and opponent batting average.

He's having a Silver Slugger and Cy Young season in the same year. What he's done is truly unheard of. 

On Thursday night, Ohtani completed his final home start of the season in spectacular fashion. 

Ohtani threw 7.2 no-hit innings, before a hard ground ball to the shortstop playing in the shift bounced off his glove for a base hit. 

Ohtani went on to finish the 8th, and left to MVP chants and a standing ovation from the Angel faithful.

Shohei Ohtani tonight:

8 IP
2 H
0 ER
1 BB
10 K
108 Pitches

He also went 2-4 with an RBI.

In his final start of the year, he’ll need to throw 1 inning to become the first player in MLB history to qualify among the league leaders as a pitcher and hitter.

Greatest season ever.

— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) September 30, 2022

Ohtani entered Thursday needing to throw nine innings across his final two starts to become the first player in MLB history to qualify among the league leaders as a pitcher and hitter.

After hurling eight scoreless innings, he will need to pitch just one more inning in his final start of the season on Tuesday to put a bow on this unbelievably historic season.

Any other year, Ohtani is the runaway MVP. But this season, it took a man competing for a triple crown and all-time home run records to most likely take the award from Ohtani. It didn't hurt that he's playing in New York for one of the most storied teams in baseball.

But MVPs don't tell the whole story.

Award or not, Shohei Ohtani has put together the greatest season in MLB history. He's done things that the game has never seen before, and made every 5th game for a below .500 team must-watch.

So Judge can get the MVP. He, too, has had an unbelievable season.

But until another player comes around and has a Silver Slugger and Cy Young season in the same year, there will never be a greater performance than Shohei Ohtani's 2022 season.