NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani is poised to secure his third Most Valuable Player Award and his first in the National League, while Aaron Judge is on track to receive his second AL MVP when the Baseball Writers’ Association reveals the voting results on Thursday.
Ohtani, a remarkable two-way talent with the Los Angeles Angels, was a unanimous choice for the AL MVP in 2021 and 2023. He was the runner-up to Judge in the 2022 voting. After undergoing elbow surgery in 2024, Ohtani signed an unprecedented 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December.
During the season, Ohtani registered a batting average of .310, swiped 59 bases, and dominated the National League with 54 home runs and 130 RBIs, functioning solely as a designated hitter. Notably, he became the first player in baseball history to achieve over 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. His stellar performance was instrumental in leading the Dodgers to a World Series victory, competing in the final three games despite suffering from a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
Should Ohtani clinch the award, he will make history as the first designated hitter to receive the MVP. He would join the elite company of Frank Robinson, who won the award in both leagues with his feats in Cincinnati in 1961 and Baltimore in 1966.
Ohtani’s potential win would position him among a select group as the 12th player to garner three or more MVPs, alongside legendary names such as Barry Bonds, who has seven, and others like Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, and Mike Trout, each holding three.
Francisco Lindor from the New York Mets and Ketel Marte from Arizona are considered top competitors in the National League, while Bobby Witt Jr. of Kansas City and Juan Soto from the Yankees join Judge in the AL’s top three.
The voting occurred prior to the postseason. Judge led all players in the major leagues with 58 home runs, 144 RBIs, and 133 walks, boasting a .322 batting average. Witt also shone, finishing the season with a .332 average, along with 32 home runs and 109 RBIs. Soto’s accomplishments included a .288 batting average, with 41 homers and 109 RBIs.
