Shohei Ohtani makes history with 3rd MVP award

Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award on Thursday, becoming the first full-time designated hitter to achieve this feat. The award, presented by his teammate Clayton Kershaw on the MLB Network, marks the 30-year-old Japanese athlete’s first MVP award in the National League, having won the American League MVP in 2021 and 2023 while playing for the Los Angeles Angels.

Season highlights: Ohtani’s historic season saw him become the first player to hit 50 or more home runs and steal 50 or more bases in the same season with the Dodgers, a feat he accomplished with a remarkable 6-for-6, three-homer game against the Marlins. Despite a slow start, Ohtani led the National League with 9.2 bWAR, 134 runs scored, 54 home runs, 130 RBIs and a 1.036 OPS. His exceptional performance in the final month of the regular season, where he hit 10 home runs and drove in 32 runs, solidified his position as the clear frontrunner for the award.
One of the GOATs: This win makes Ohtani the sixth player to win an MVP Award with two different franchises since 1931 and only the second player besides Barry Bonds to win the award in his final year with one team and his first year with another. “This MVP, I’m just representing the Dodgers,” Ohtani said. “It was a complete team effort. I wouldn’t have been able to receive this award if it weren’t for my teammates.” Ohtani also played a crucial role in the Dodgers’ World Series victory, which marked the first World Series title of his career.

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