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Shohei Ohtani captured his fourth MVP award after a historic two-way season: 55 home runs and a 2.87 ERA pitching in 47 innings.

His dominance has revitalized baseball’s appeal: The World Series averaged nearly 10 million viewers in Japan, its strongest performance since the early 1990s.

Yet baseball’s future remains uncertain: a possible lockout looms, broadcast revenue declines and gambling threatens the sport — and Ohtani’s dominance won’t last forever.

The players could be locked out after next season. Once-reliable broadcast revenue is being threatened by a shifting media landscape. The proliferation of sports gambling has already ensnared multiple players .

Baseball cou

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