In a league where the Dodgers’ two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani exists, it feels like he’s automatically penciled in as both an MVP finalist and the eventual winner every year. Well, it’s not that other players aren’t great, but that no one matches the kind of dominance Ohtani brings on both sides of the ball.

So even when others put up MVP-caliber numbers, the outcome has pretty much stayed the same in recent seasons. Juan Soto is the perfect example.

He blasted 41 HRs with 109 RBIs in 2024, then came back in 2025 with a career-best 43 home runs, but still couldn’t secure an MVP. Why? Because he’s up against the Japanese phenom. And at this point, even the fans are starting to believe the award is basically Ohtani’s by default.

“TRUE OR FALSE: Juan Soto will win an MVP Award in his career.” MLB Network shared a poll via X, and the responses are what we are saying.

While most fans commented on how Soto has yet to win his first MVP, the trend shows a stark difference between Ohtani and the rest of the league.

So, Ohtani winning the 2025 MVP doesn’t mean he was having the best stats. Yes, he managed to cross the 50 home runs mark, but his WAR sits at 6.4, just above Soto’s 5.7. So, there’s no significant difference between Soto and Ohtani when it comes to pure hitting.

But because Ohtani contributes as both a hitter and a pitcher, he naturally has an edge over others, whose value comes mostly from his bat as a DH.

Soto scored .263 and is getting on base at a stronger .395 clip this year. His plate discipline has been elite, he’s walking a ton, and he’s even become a surprising 40/30 guy, a huge jump for someone whose previous high in steals was just 12. But MVP? No!

So, as long as Ohtani is around doing Ohtani things, Soto might keep putting up monster numbers without ever actually getting his hands on that MVP trophy.

Surprisingly, this is despite Juan Soto being the most expensive player in MLB with $765 million.

Fans agree Ohtani is between MVP and Soto

A majority of the fans agree that Juan Soto could only go for MVP if he gets into the AL or wins MVP just for the World Series. “Not if he’s still in the NL and Ohtani’s still a Dodger,” one fan said. “Yes, just not a World Series one,” added another. While Ohtani has created an unrivaled status in the NL, there’s nothing like that in the AL.

This year, Aaron Judge took the AL MVP award home, hitting 53 HRs at .331. Thus, only if Soto gets back to the AL again, there’s a chance he can beat others with pure hitting. Or if the Mets get into the World Series, and Soto wins the World Series MVP. However, for that, the Mets first need to get into the postseason.

Shohei Ohtani is 31 now, and so ideally he should be at his prime for another 4 years. Till then, the NL MVP awards could be just assigned to Ohtani. “He will need to switch back to the American League. It shall soon be called the Ohtani Award in the National League,” one user remarked. Why not, when Ohtani has been winning MVP since 2021, with 2022 being the only miss? “Not as long as Ohtani exists. Fact is fact,” added another.

“Unless his defensive skill does a 180 in a positive direction or he beats the all-time regular season HR record, I doubt it.” Another fan shared a different take about how Soto could still win MVP with Ohtani around. Well, let’s get the facts straight. Soto’s defense is not Gold Glove worthy. For example, his OAA was -10, and DRS was -3 in 2025.

So yes, till the time Soto could ensure a vast improvement in his defense and an offense that would break records in MLB, Ohtani will be there in between his quest for MVP.