Shohei Ohtani Wins First Award as Dodgers' Leadoff Hitter

Ohtani is already thriving in his new role.

Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani stepped into the team's role as the leadoff hitter last Monday, and is already experiencing tremendous success. Ohtani, who is filling in at the leadoff spot after Mookie Betts suffered a fractured hand, was named the National League Player of the Week after only six games in his new role — and after a tremendous week of baseball in general.

Shohei Ohtani has been named the NL Player of the Week.

The Unicorn capped off his week with some epic performances against his former team 🤩 pic.twitter.com/iyL51deHn8

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) June 24, 2024

Over his last six games, Ohtani has been absolutely dominant, with at least one hit and one run in every game, and multiple hits in four of those six games, highlighted by a three-hit game against the Colorado Rockies last Monday. Ohtani additionally slashed .458/.567/1.083 in those games with four home runs and 11 RBI.

Overall this season, Ohtani is slashing .321/.398/.632 with 23 home runs and 57 RBI. The two-time American League MVP ranks first in MLB batting average, third in hits, runs, home runs, second in slug rate and total bases, and sixth in RBIs and on-base percentage.

This is the second time this season that Ohtani has won the NL Player of the Week award. He is one of two Dodgers to win the award this season, along with Teoscar Hernández, who won it earlier this month. Overall in his career, Ohtani has won the award nine separate times. He won the award three times in 2023, meaning he would need one more this year to tie that mark.

Betts fractured his left hand when he was hit by a pitch by the Royals' Dan Altavilla on June 16. Ohtani moved up from the number-2 spot in the Dodgers' lineup, where he'd been since spring training, on June 17.