Shohei Ohtani was voted the National League's Most Valuable Player unanimously Thursday, capping the first 50/50 season in baseball history by becoming the first full-time designated hitter to ever win MVP honors.
Ohtani joined Aaron Judge, who was voted American League MVP unanimously moments earlier on MLB Network's broadcast.
The announcement came three weeks after Ohtani's Los Angeles Dodgers defeated Judge's New York Yankees in the World Series and two years after Judge's record-breaking 2022 season was enough to edge Ohtani's two-way prowess for the AL MVP.
If not for Judge, Ohtani — a unanimous MVP three times, an unprecedented feat in baseball history — would be sitting on four consecutive MVPs. He'll instead settle for three in four years, becoming the 12th player to win three MVPs and the second to do so within his first seven seasons, joining Stan Musial.
This last year has seen Ohtani sign an unprecedented $700 million contract and put together another historic season while recovering from a second elbow surgery. He led the NL in homers (54), RBIs (130) and OPS (1.036) while adding 59 stolen bases, 33 more than his previous career high.
Ohtani joined Frank Robinson (1961 NL, 1966 AL) as the only players to win MVP in both leagues.
Voting for the National League MVP Award, as selected by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (tabulated on a 14-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis):
«This was a team effort, and like I said before, I receive this award on behalf of my team,» Ohtani, speaking through an interpreter, said on the MLB Network broadcast. «So right now, the next goal is for me to do it again. Right now I'm in the middle of rehab and working out and getting stronger, and I'm looking forward to next season so
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