Sho-time premiere: Shohei Ohtani named MLB's American League MVP
After an historic season as both a pitcher and hitter, the Los Angeles Angels' two-way star wins honour - unanimously.
The worst kept secret in baseball was revealed on Thursday (18 November): Shohei Ohtani has won the 2021 American League Most Valuable Player Award.
The Los Angeles Angels' two-way star was one of three finalists for the honour alongside Vladimir Guerrero and Marcus Semien, both of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Capping an historic season in his fourth year in the majors, Ohtani is only the second Japanese player to be named MVP after Ichiro Suzuki in 2001. He won the award unanimously, collecting all 30 first-place votes.
Ohtani, 27, is the first unanimous AL MVP since teammate Mike Trout in 2014.
"I'm extremely happy. I would like to thank everyone who helped me to this point and, of course, the fans who supported me through thick and thin," said Ohtani after receiving the award on Thursday evening.
"The MVP [award] is something I was shooting for as all players are," he added. "But I am also so appreciative that USA baseball fans were so accepting and welcoming of the two-way [pitching and hitting] idea -- it made the transition easier for me and I'm so thankful."
Where no man has gone before
Finally injury free and given free rein to unleash his potential as a hitter and a pitcher, Ohtani had a season like no other in major league history.
Ohtani arrived stateside in 2017 with comparisons made to legend of yesteryear Babe Ruth, who dabbled as a two-way player in 1918-19, but Ohtani put up a campaign that even Ruth could not.
The former Nippon Ham Fighter hit 46 home runs, had 100 RBIs, scored 103 runs and stole 26 bases with a .965 OPS. On the mound, he went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and racked up 156 strikeouts in 130-1/3 innings. Ohtani also became the first player to start as a pitcher and hitter in the All-Star Game.
For the unprecedented year he had, Ohtani received the Major League Baseball Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award. He is only the 16th recipient ever of the accolade, which was last given to New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter in 2014.
“Over the next few years, I know that there are going to be many, many awards and accolades that come your [Ohtani's] way,” Commissioner Rob Manfred told Ohtani and gathered media at a press conference announcing the award. “But I felt that 2021 was so special that it was important to recognize the historic achievement that took place in 2021 with an award just about 2021.”
Before bolting for the majors, Ohtani was part of the core of the Japan national team aiming for a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games -- which they managed to win.