5 players who could outshine Shohei Ohtani at Dodgers ft. Juan Soto5 players who could outshine Shohei Ohtani at Dodgers ft. Juan Soto (image credit: getty)

Shohei Ohtani unanimously won the MVP award last season. In the upcoming year, he’s going to take the mound again so he’s likely to win another MVP but it also means he will have to split his attention and effort. That could open the door, on either the mound or at the plate, for someone on the roster to outdo him. That could include someone who’s not currently on the team.

Dodgers who might outdo Shohei Ohtani in 2025

5) Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is poised for a big year (Getty)Yoshinobu Yamamoto is poised for a big year (Getty)

Although it was interrupted by injuries and got off to a bad start, Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s first MLB season was solid. The $325 million player adjusted to the league and the country well and it stands to reason that he will get better as he gets older and more comfortable. That bodes well for the Dodgers and he could be a better pitcher than Ohtani is next season, especially since Ohtani is coming off a full year off from pitching.

4) Freddie Freeman

Freddie Freeman could have a big year (Imagn)Freddie Freeman could have a big year (Imagn)

If Freddie Freeman treats every game like it’s the World Series against the New York Yankees, he will have an MVP season. He remains one of baseball’s best hitters and could outshine Ohtani in the lineup. Freeman will have ample protection, and likely a ton of RBI chances, so look for him to have a good year if he’s healthy. If he is, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him as the Dodgers’ best hitter.

3) Mookie Betts

Mookie Betts could outperform Shohei Ohtani in 2025 (Getty)Mookie Betts could outperform Shohei Ohtani in 2025 (Getty)

If there’s a hitter on the roster that can do better than Ohtani in 2025, it’s Mookie Betts. The former MVP is one of the best hitters of all time, and with Ohtani splitting time at the plate and on the mound, the door is open for Betts to reclaim the title as the Dodgers’ best hitter. With no major injuries, Betts is primed for another All-Star, and potentially, an MVP-level campaign.

2) Blake Snell

Blake Snell could outdo Ohtani (Imagn)Blake Snell could outdo Ohtani (Imagn)

Purely from a pitching standpoint, Blake Snell could easily outperform Shohei Ohtani. He is a two-time Cy Young Award winner. While Ohtani has MVPs, he’s never taken home pitching’s top award. Snell would likely slot in ahead of him in the rotation and get more chances. After a dominant second half last season, it’s easy to see the former San Francisco Giants ace having a career year and outdoing Ohtani on the mound.

1) Juan Soto

Juan Soto could outshine Shohei Ohtani (Getty)Juan Soto could outshine Shohei Ohtani (Getty)

If the LA Dodgers land Juan Soto, they would have arguably the most dominant roster ever assembled. If Soto had a career year batting in front of Aaron Judge and having little protection in the lineup, then imagine what he could do with Mookie Betts, Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and others around him. He could easily outshine Ohtani at the plate in this scenario.