Shohei Ohtani wins third MVP award

NEW YORK –

Shohei Ohtani secured his third Most Valuable Player Award, this time in the National League, while Aaron Judge clinched his second American League honor on Thursday.

Ohtani’s MVP win was a unanimous decision for the third time, with all 30 first-place votes and a total of 420 points in the voting conducted by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. New York Mets’ shortstop Francisco Lindor followed in second place with 263 points, and Arizona Diamondbacks’ second baseman Ketel Marte came in third with 229 points.

Judge, on the other hand, also received a unanimous vote for the first time. Kansas City Royals’ shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. secured all 30 second-place votes, totaling 270 points, while Yankees’ outfielder Juan Soto claimed third place with 21 third-place votes and 229 points.

Ohtani had previously won the AL MVP unanimously in 2021 and 2023 as a versatile player for the Los Angeles Angels. He had finished as the runner-up to Judge in the 2022 MVP voting. In 2024, Ohtani did not pitch due to elbow surgery and later signed a record-breaking $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December.

Joining the likes of Frank Robinson, who achieved this feat in 1961 and 1966, Ohtani became one of the few players to win the MVP award in both leagues. He also became the first player to win the unanimous MVP title twice, having previously shared the honor with Atlanta Braves’ outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. in 2023.

Ohtani’s exceptional performance in the NL included a batting average of .310, 59 stolen bases, and leading the league with 54 home runs and 130 RBIs solely as a designated hitter. He made history by becoming the first player to achieve 50 or more home runs and stolen bases in a single season. Additionally, Ohtani played a crucial role in helping the Dodgers secure the World Series title, despite playing through the final games with a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Reflecting on his achievements, Ohtani expressed his determination to continue excelling, stating, “The ultimate goal from the beginning was to win a World Series, which we were able to accomplish. The next goal is for me to do it again, so right now I’m in the middle of rehab and working out to get stronger.”

Looking ahead, the question arises – could Ohtani potentially win both the MVP and the Cy Young Award in the same year when he returns to pitching?

“That would obviously be great, but right now my focus is to get back healthy, come back stronger, get back on the mound, and show everybody what I can do,” Ohtani remarked.

Ohtani’s journey to the MVP title was not without challenges, as he became the first primary designated hitter to win the award in a season that began with the revelation of his longtime interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, embezzling nearly $17 million to fund gambling activities.

Joining the elite club of players with three or more MVP titles, Ohtani stands alongside legends such as Barry Bonds and Jimmie Foxx. The MVP balloting took place before the start of the postseason.

Judge’s impressive season saw him lead the major leagues with 58 home runs, 144 RBIs, and 133 walks, all while maintaining a batting average of .322. Witt Jr. of the Royals topped the charts with a .332 average, along with 32 home runs, 31 stolen bases, and 109 RBIs. Soto of the Yankees batted .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs.

Judge, who had previously won the MVP award in 2022, where he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani garnered the remaining two, reflected on his journey and the support he received from fellow players like Bryce Harper.

“I was telling him, ‘Man, I’m going to try to catch up to you with these MVPs here, man,'” Judge shared. “He’d say, hopefully, he could stay a couple ahead of me, which I think he’ll do.”

Marking his second MVP win, Judge became the 22nd MVP winner for the Yankees, surpassing all other teams by four titles. His season started off sluggishly with a .207 batting average, six home runs, and 18 RBIs in April but saw a remarkable turnaround as he finished strong with a .352 average, 52 home runs, and 126 RBIs in 127 games.

“March and April were not my friend this year,” Judge admitted. “Just keep putting in the work, and things are going to change. You can’t mope. You can’t feel sorry for yourself. Especially in New York, nobody’s going to feel sorry for you. So you just got to go out there and put up the numbers.”