Angels' Star Shohei Ohtani Becomes First Japanese Born Player to Lead MLB in Homers

Ohtani put on a show this season!

It is no secret that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani could very well leave the Angels organization this winter. The Halos haven’t reached the playoffs since he joined the team years ago, and Ohtani wants to win badly.

It is wildly expected that he will leave them to join a contender that he believes can give him a chance to win each season. But if this was the final year for Ohtani with the Halos, then he put on a heck of a show.

His season was cut a little short due to injury, but he still remains the frontrunner to win the American League MVP award. He finished the season batting .304 with 44 home runs and 95 runs batted in. 

He also showed his worth on the mound, posting an ERA of 3.14 over 23 games. The superstar struck out 167 batters over 132 innings pitched.

With the 44 home runs on the year, Ohtani became the first Japanese-born player to lead either the American or National League in home runs. It’s quite an accomplishment for Ohtani and one that means a ton to him.

“It’s quite an honor and I’m humbled when you think about the great players that have come before me that have played MLB from Japan,” Ohtani said in a statement released by the Angels. “Thank you to my teammates, coaching staff and fans that helped me to achieve this goal.”

Per The OC Register

Even with the missed time, Ohtani still had five more home runs than the next closest player in the American League. He put together a season for the ages, and it's a shame that he wasn’t able to finish it healthy.

It was another solid season for the biggest star in the game today, and he now enters the offseason trying to figure out his future. While he won’t pitch in 2024 due to his torn UCL, he will still be a hitter, and teams will be lining up to sign him long-term.