Shohei Ohtani is doing things that baseball has not seen in generations. Through the first four months of the 2026 season, the Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter has compiled numbers that place him in rarefied air, sparking a legitimate Most Valuable Player conversation that extends beyond the National League and into the history books.
The 32-year-old has been particularly devastating against left-handed pitching, posting an OPS nearly 200 points higher than his career average against southpaws. Pitchers have increasingly opted to walk him intentionally in high-leverage situations, a tactic that has drawn both criticism and admiration around the league.
The Dodgers have been the primary beneficiaries of Ohtani's historic campaign. They sit comfortably in first place in the National League West, with Ohtani accounting for a staggering percentage of the team's total offensive production. His Wins Above Replacement leads all of baseball by a wide margin.
The Dodgers coaching staff has worked diligently to manage his workload, building in regular rest days and utilizing him strategically in the lineup. The approach has paid dividends, as Ohtani has avoided the slumps that typically accompany a 162-game season.
For the Dodgers, the focus remains on October. The organization has been down this path before, and they know that regular-season dominance guarantees nothing in the postseason. Manager Dave Roberts has been cautious about managing expectations, emphasizing the importance of peaking at the right time.
