Shohei Ohtani may be the back-to-back MVP on the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, but a National League rival is putting him on notice.
Juan Soto of the New York Mets may already have a Hall of Fame resume, as detailed by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, but he’s missing an MVP.
That particular honor would have to be won over Ohtani, an intimidating prospect given the Dodger’s dominance at the plate and on the mound.
That said, Soto isn’t intimidated by Ohtani’s perennial contender status.
“I’m going to be there every year, too,” Soto said, per DiComo. “So he better keep doing what he’s doing, because I’m coming.”
Soto also made clear that while he’s been happy with his performance thus far in his career, he has yet to peak.
“I feel like everybody tries to do better than what they did before,” Soto said. “I would definitely love to be better around the bases and better around the outfield. Even hitting, I try to keep my hitting increased. Thank God I’ve been doing well the past couple seasons. I’ve been putting numbers up there, career highs and stuff like that. So I just want to keep doing the same thing. I try to be better year after year.”
Soto, Ohtani Dominate Offensive Statistics
Both players had outstanding seasons at the plate in 2025.
Ohtani hit .282 and exploded for 55 home runs and 102 RBIs, while Soto hit .263 and had 43 home runs while edging Ohtani with 105 RBIs.
Soto was also walked more than anyone else in baseball and led the National League with an on-base percentage of .396. Ohtani’s, meanwhile, was .392.
The Mets slugger demolished Ohtani on the base paths, with a NL-leading 38 stolen bases to Ohtani’s 20.
That said, Ohtani stole 59 bases in 2024, far outpacing Soto’s seven stolen bases.
The Difference Might Come on the Mound
Where Soto can’t match Ohtani is in pitching.
Ohtani is a two-way player who can do incredible things like hit three home runs and record 10 strikeouts in one game.
Soto can’t match that, but if he can do more at the plate, he might stand a chance at dethroning Ohtani’s MVP reign.
