Shohei Ohtani named National League MVP, becomes second player to win award in both leagues
The Los Angeles Dodgers' superstar wins third career MVP, is first full-time designated hitter to receive the honour. The New York Yankees' Aaron Judge wins in the American League.
Baseball Softball
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player on Thursday (21 November) by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA).
It is the third time Ohtani has won Major League Baseball’s highest individual honour. He beat out Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets and Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge won the American League award over team-mate Juan Soto and Bobby Witt Jr of the Kansas City Royals.
Both Ohtani and Judge received the award by unanimous decision.
"I feel like I won this award on behalf of the Dodgers," Ohtani said upon being named the MVP by his team-mate and former winner, Clayton Kershaw. "The regular season, the post season, World Series - we won it all together as a team.
"I didn’t go into the season trying to win an MVP. Coming to a new team, I just wanted to be accepted by the fans and my team-mates. That’s how I approached it specially in the first half of the year."
Shohei Ohtani second player to win MVP in AL, NL
Ohtani, 30, became the second player to win the MVP in both leagues after Frank Robinson achieved the feat (1961, 1966). He is also the first full-time designated hitter to win the award.
Ohtani previously won MVP in 2021 and 2023 with his former team, the Los Angeles Angels. In 2024, his first year with the Dodgers, he became baseball’s first player to hit 50 home runs (54) and steal 50 bases (59) in the same season.
Ohtani led the NL in homers, RBIs (130), runs scored (134), OPS (1.036) and total bases (411).
Ohtani has been cleaning up in the off-season, too, netting pretty much every offensive award there is on offer. He has won the Silver Slugger (best hitter at each position), Hank Aaron (best hitter in each league) and Edgar Martinez (best DH) Awards as well as being named to the All-MLB first team.
In a conference call with reporters after being named MVP Ohtani, thanked his manager Dave Roberts for helping him settle at the Dodgers in the first year of a record 10-year, US$ 700 million contract.
"In a matter of months, it feels like I’ve been playing for him for years. That’s the kind of relationship I have with the manager," he said. "He helped provide a comfortable environment for me to play in. We worked really well throughout the year and I’m glad it ended on a great note."
In 2025, Ohtani will resume his two-way role as a hitter and pitcher. But the left-shoulder injury he suffered during the World Series turned out to be worse than first diagnosed and required surgery.
Ohtani said the rehab work has begun. The Dodgers open next season in Japan on 18-19 March at Tokyo Dome against the Chicago Cubs.
“Of course the goal is to pitch and hit from the start of the season. But the shoulder was a little worse than we initially thought. I’m not exactly sure how long it will take but I’m doing everything I can to be ready for opening day."
After a full season as designated hitter, Shohei Ohtani is expected to return to the mound in 2025.
Shohei Ohtani: Sasaki Roki 'terrific'
Ohtani also spoke on his World Baseball Classic team-mate and MLB-bound pitcher Sasaki Roki, who will be posted for bidding to the major league clubs this winter.
The 23-year-old phenom is expected to fetch interest from all 30 teams because of his age and affordability. Ohtani gave Sasaki his thumbs up on what he could achieve in stateside.
“I haven’t gone out of my way to speak to him,” he said of the Chiba Lotte Marins right-hander. “He was a team-mate and like (Yamamoto) Yoshinobu, I’m in touch with all of them throughout the year.
“I respect his opinion and wherever he goes, I’m sure he’ll have terrific results.”
In the AL, Judge - who faced Ohtani and the Dodgers in the World Series - won the MVP for the second time in three years. He batted .322 with 58 homers, 144 RBIs, 122 runs scored and an OPS of 1.159.
Judge is the Yankees' sixth multiple winner of the MVP. He joined some seriously exclusive company by becoming only the second Yankee to receive the award unanimously alongside Mickey Mantle (1956).
The BBWAA has voted for the MVP since 1931. Ballots are submitted before the postseason and are based on a weighted points system.
The complete list of past winners can be found here.