The candle that burns twice as bright only burns half as long. An old adage but true in every respect even when it comes to sport. And possibly one that may apply to one player over the others. Superstar two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani has been the pick of the crowd when it comes to absurd stat-lines with his displays since he came to MLB in 2018. But the star may be showing the first signs of slowing down.

MLB has always seen players be successful at specific roles. Whether it be position players that excel at defense or pitchers with insatiable stamina to win games. The batters have always needed an additional tool to be acknowledged by the league as one of the game’s greats. And for nigh on 5 years, Ohtani has crushed every challenge thrown his way. Pitching at an elite level and contributing from the home plate to strengthen the batting lineup. However, that may be set to change.

Is Ohtani’s Skill Set Changing?

The LA Angels star is now a 29 years old. While still only a few years into his MLB career, Ohtani’s body has been subjected to unnatural load over the seasons he has played with him picking up both the offensive and defensive load for the Angels. However, the fans were left questioning how long this can go on?

Turns out that the answer is finally here. The 2021 AL MVP was forced out of the 2023 season with an oblique injury that ended his season early right before his free agency in 2024. According to his agents, and keeping the long term in mind, it appears that Ohtani is unlikely to pitch for all of 2024, choosing to play as a designated hitter for the length of the season before making his full return in 2025.

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While this would obviously mean that this would change some teams’ consideration of the player, it remains to be seen if this will cause any serious contenders to back out of the free agency race to secure his services. Because even just as a hitter, Shohei is someone that can change a team’s fortunes.

Shohei Ohtani – Only Featuring in The Batting Lineup?

According to several reports, Ohtani is set to feature as the designated hitter for whichever team he turns out for in 2024. With his free agency looming, the teams looking to sign the star will surely be looking at a longer term investment than just 2024. The question as to whether Ohtani will pitch remains yet to be resolved, but his contribution as a batter cannot be downplayed either.

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The star has put together a season for the ages even considering only one aspect of his contribution. Averaging 0.304 for the season with a 1.066 OPS, the 3x All-Star is making sure to ring up the hit counter as often as possible. Not lacking power in his swing either, Ohtani has 44 home runs to his name this season, leading the league.

The star is sure to be a record contract signing in MLB, but the number still remains under question. With the newest information of the star now being unable to pitch for his first season, that too is sure to affect his supposedly $500 million expected contract. But to what degree remains to be seen.

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