Hyped as one of the best two-way players in baseball since Babe Ruth, the Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani has taken another step in cementing his own legacy: he became the first MLB player to be named an All-Star as both a pitcher and a hitter on Sunday.
Ohtani is currently the betting favorite to win the American League MVP award, according to Yahoo Sports. As of Monday, his batting average is .278, while his earned run average is 3.60. To be such an elite baseball player on both the offensive and defensive ends of the ball is a considerable feat.
According to Bleacher Report, Ohtani also currently leads the league in slugging average (.704) and home runs (31).
Ohtani, who celebrated his 27th birthday on Monday, first entered the major leagues after five seasons of playing in his native Japan. Since then, he has quickly garnered accolades, from the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year award to an invitation to the 2021 Home Run Derby.
The All-Star Game is scheduled for July 13 in Denver.
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