Shohei Ohtani has been quite lucky till now. Though he has been his usual (in fact better) self on the plate, the surrounding competition hasn’t been staggering. Mookie Betts was his big rival in the NL MVP race and then Betts fractured his hand. Similarly, Bryce Harper was going through a tear, but then the Philadelphia Phillies collapsed. So does that mean Ohtani is on course to become the first-ever DH MVP? Not so fast there because a snake is waiting for the crown.

Unlike his fans who rush toward his memorabilia, Ohtani has started August quite slowly. While it is natural for hitters to experience dry patches, for Shotime it just increases his MVP worries. After all, he isn’t playing defense to cover up for his offensive shortcomings. On the other hand, there’s Ketel Marte, who is going through an absolute tear. Such is Marte’s form that now analysts are starting to wonder – could the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2023 hero spoil Ohtani’s 2024 chances?

Radio host John Gambadoro thinks he can. “He’s got a legitimate shot to overtake Ohtani now,” Gambadoro said in his appearance on the Foul Territory Show. “I know everybody’s gonna say Ohtani’s number one in all of the categories and I get it (but) wins above replacement Marte is right next to him.” Later Gambadoro explained how Marte’s second-base excellence can come in handy for him in this MVP race. 

However, the real thing that can spoil Shohei Ohtani’s dream is the huge impact that Ketel Marte has had on the Diamondbacks. This is a team without whose primary star Corbin Carroll has flopped, whose rotation has disappointed but is still pacing up to overtake the Dodgers. Most of this is because Marte (5.9 WAR) has come into his own this season. From hitting for power to stealing bases, he is continuing his amazing 2023 postseason form.

Why Ketel Marte’s extraordinary season has remained hidden, unlike Ohtani’s

Ketel Marte’s greatest gift is also his greatest curse. He’s playing in an Arizona Diamondbacks team that is tailormade for him but because of that he never gets the kind of attention he deserves. The 30-year-old has hit 29 homers and his 5.9 WAR is the highest in the National League. He has overtaken Shohei Ohtani, and that is just the beginning of it. Just how good is Marte?

In 2023, Marte got hit in every postseason game till World Series game 5. More importantly, he hit in every postseason game in 2017 as well. As a result, Marte had a 20-game hitting streak in the postseason, the biggest in MLB’s history. This is a man who has a career WAR of 30.3 and a career OPS+ of 118. Though he may not lead in any stat, Marte’s overall numbers put him on an elite list. Perhaps that’s why Ketel Marte is being called Shohei Ohtani’s biggest rival now. 

But what separates Marte from Ohtani is that he has 11 Defensive runs saved this season. Could that defense prove to be the Achilles heel for Ohtani? Perhaps it could. But could the lack of attention that comes with Diamondbacks affect Ketel Marte? That could happen too. Clearly, the situation has become interesting, and the story is now heading for a great twist. What a way to finish the last two months of the regular season, right?