Shohei Ohtani Slammed With Juan Soto Warning as Mets Star’s Redemption Run Turns NL on Its Head

If you remember, just last week, we were debating whether Shohei Ohtani or Kyle Schwarber would come out on top in the 2025 NL MVP race. But now, there’s a new twist. Both Ohtani and Schwarber are still very much in the hunt. But Juan Soto has suddenly forced his way into the conversation.

Well, after a rough June where he hit just .230, Soto has come storming back. Reportedly, in his last four games, he’s driven in 11 runs, including a monster six-RBI night in the Mets’ wild 10-8 win over Detroit. And with the pitching struggling, Soto practically carried the offense on his own. And guess what, this is a gentle reminder about what Soto is capable of. Enough for the Mets manager, Carlos Mendoza, to rally behind Soto in the NL MVP race.

“When you look at the numbers, I said it when he didn’t make the All-Star team, this is ridiculous. And here we are. He’s on a mission. He’s elite,” Mendoza heard rallying hard for Soto.

But amid the late surge by Soto, is he still comparable with Schwarber and Ohtani in the NL MVP race?

So, Ohtani might be the clear frontrunner right now as he’s sitting on 45 HRs with a .986 OPS. However, what Soto is showing of late is shuffling the MVP rankings. And let’s not forget there’s another name in between, Kyle Schwarber, who is leading the chart in terms of home runs. And Soto? He is leading in terms of walks and fWAR.

However, Ohtani, with his two-way playing ability, is obviously miles ahead of the rest. As per ESPN, Ohtani is standing with -1100 odds to clinch the NL MVP title. In contrast, Schwarber is behind with +450. And Soto? Well, he is not in the top 4 list here. In terms of individual milestones, though, Soto might end this season high compared to his last year with the Yankees. It is projected that he will end up with 42 HRs this season. However, with still a month left for the season to finish, a lot can happen on the diamond.

Soto and Ohtani are travelling in opposite ways

If you remember, since the Opening Day, Ohtani was spitting fire from the batter’s box, while Soto was in a historic slump. There were questions raised about whether Soto deserves $765 million deal. Now, fast forward to the present, and things are quite different. Just check the ongoing series against the Tigers, and you will know what the Mets’ cornerstone is doing. Reportedly, the Monday game against the Tigers saw Juan Soto hitting a grand slam and 6 RBIs, which was further followed by a monster hit on Tuesday.

The result? 5 HRs from his last 5 games and currently standing with 37 HRs! Thus, as Mendoza said, Juan Soto is currently a man on a mission.

And Ohtani? The man is still continuing his hot streak from both ends of the ball, but his team’s inconsistency is what is taking a toll on his utility. For example, the Dodgers’ game against the Pirates on Tuesday witnessed the 100th home run of Ohtani with the Blues. However, the celebration was short-lived as his team was unable to pull off a win and went down against the Pirates.

So, currently, Soto is offering more utility to his team, and considering if Soto could have started his hot streak earlier, the NL MVP race would have been much more competitive. However, it’s still better late than never, and all we can do now is watch this exciting race get even closer.