Mike Tyson Learns 3-HR ESPY Winner Shohei Ohtani Is a Man

Q: With a knee injury sidelining his baserunning, can Shohei Ohtani's pitching and hitting alone secure his historic fifth MVP award?

Yes. If Shohei Ohtani’s knee issue only removes baserunning and does not significantly cut into his time as a hitter or pitcher, his bat and arm are still strong enough to keep him on track for a fifth MVP. The case is straightforward: he remains the overwhelming National League MVP favorite at the All-Star break because he is elite in both roles at once. At the plate, he leads the NL with a .979 OPS and has continued to hit despite the knee irritation, with the Dodgers indicating his offense should not regress. On the mound, he has been even more dominant, leading major leaguers with at least 50 innings in ERA at 1.06, while the club expects him to return to his next start after precautionary rest. The lost baserunning value matters, especially for a player who has previously added major impact with steals. But MVP voting is driven more by total value than by any one category, and Ohtani’s two-way production creates a gap few rivals can match. Even without stolen bases, he is still providing top-tier offensive output and ace-level pitching in the same season. The real threat to his candidacy is not the absence of steals; it is whether the knee problem worsens enough to reduce his innings, games played, or overall availability in the second half. If he stays in the Dodgers’ lineup and rotation with only a no-stealing restriction, his historic fifth MVP remains the most likely outcome.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 16

At Wednesday's ESPYs, Mike Tyson reacted with surprise after presenter Jake Paul told him absent winner Shohei Ohtani was "a guy."
Ohtani had just won best single-game performance for a playoff outing in which he hit 3 home runs and struck out 10 in Game 4 of last year's NLDS.
The Dodgers star was not at the ceremony because he will miss the 2026 MLB All-Star Game with knee irritation tied to a nagging injury.