In a battle of two superstar players vying for a Most Valuable Player award, the Los Angeles Angels, with pitcher/hitter Shohei Ohtani, are set to take on the San Diego Padres, with their phenom Fernando Tatis, this weekend.
Ohtani is considered to be the favorite for AL MVP honors, as he is currently leading the majors with 41 home runs while sporting a 3.00 ERA with 127 strikeouts over 105 innings pitched for the Angels this season.
Tatis, who is a clear cut favorite for NL MVP honors, leads the major leagues with a 1.003 OPS and a .640 slugging percentage.
“His dedication, seeing him trying to make a difference in this game, he’s showing that you can really hit and really pitch in this era,” Tatis said of Ohtani, according to ESPN’s Marly Rivera. “I really admire his work and what he’s trying to do.”
“An MVP-type caliber player helps his team in every single area, on and off the field. You show what you’re capable of when you come out for your team every single day,” Tatis said during an interview with ESPN. “Guys like my boy Vladdy [Vladimir Guerrero Jr.], who is having an amazing season, and Ohtani, what he’s doing this year for the game, is just impressive.”
“It’s really hard coming in one day trying to do one thing and coming in another day and trying to do another thing, especially for 162,” Tatis said. “That’s really, really special.”
