Shohei Ohtani is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He is a two-way player, meaning he both pitches and bats. Ohtani is the first player in MLB history to be named an All-Star as both a pitcher and a designated hitter.
Ohtani was born in Oshu, Iwate, Japan, on July 5, 1994. He began playing baseball at a young age, and by the time he was in high school, he was one of the top prospects in Japan. In 2012, Ohtani signed with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Ohtani made his NPB debut in 2013, and quickly established himself as one of the league’s top pitchers. He won the Pacific League Rookie of the Year Award in 2013, and was named to the NPB All-Star team in 2014 and 2015. In 2016, Ohtani began to also hit regularly, and he finished the season with 22 home runs and 67 RBIs.
After the 2017 season, Ohtani posted a 3.20 ERA with 162 strikeouts in 140⅓ innings pitched, and he also hit 31 home runs with 96 RBIs. He was awarded the NPB Most Valuable Player Award and the Sawamura Award, which is given to the league’s top pitcher.
In December 2017, Ohtani signed a six-year, $23 million contract with the Angels. He made his MLB debut in 2018, and he quickly became one of the most popular players in the league. He finished the season with a 3.31 ERA and 163 strikeouts in 100⅓ innings pitched, and he also hit 22 home runs with 61 RBIs.
In 2019, Ohtani continued to impress on both sides of the ball. He was named to the AL All-Star team as both a pitcher and a designated hitter, and he finished the season with a 3.61 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 112⅔ innings pitched, and he also hit 46 home runs with 100 RBIs.
Ohtani is one of the most exciting players in baseball, and he is still just 27 years old. He has the potential to be one of the greatest players of all time, and he is sure to continue to make headlines for years to come.
Reasons for Ohtani’s Popularity
There are many reasons for Ohtani’s popularity, including:
- His unique skill set: Ohtani is one of the few players in MLB history who can both pitch and hit at a high level. This makes him a very valuable player, and it allows the Angels to use him in a variety of ways.
- His personality: Ohtani is a very humble and likeable player. He is always willing to give credit to his teammates, and he is never afraid to work hard. This has made him a fan favorite in both Japan and the United States.
- His potential: Ohtani is still just 27 years old, and he has the potential to be one of the greatest players of all time. He is already one of the most popular players in baseball, and he is sure to continue to grow his fan base in the years to come.
The AI has provided us with the news.
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Please search for “shohei ohtani” which is rapidly rising on Google Trends US-UT and explain in detail. Answers should be in English.
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