Ohtani Wins Third MVP Award

On November 21, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Ohtani Shōhei won the Most Valuable Player award for the National League in a unanimous vote. Adding to his list of firsts in Major League Baseball, Ohtani has now become the first designated hitter to win this accolade, as well as the first player in 58 years—and the second ever since Frank Robinson—to be named MVP in both the National and American Leagues. 

This is Ohtani’s third league MVP designation, following his 2021 and 2023 wins while with the Los Angeles Angels in the American League. The major factor behind his win this year was his 50-50 season, with half a century in both home runs and stolen bases, a feat never before accomplished. He ended the season with 54 four-baggers and 130 runs batted in, placing him at the top of the National League for both categories; his season batting average of .310 placed him just behind the league winner, Luis Arraez of the San Diego Padres, with .314. He was also second in the National League in stolen bases, with a total of 59, behind only Elly De La Cruz (67) of the Cincinnati Reds.

At the end of the regular season, Ohtani led the National League in a bewildering array of stats:

• Home runs: 54
• RBIs: 130
• Runs: 134
• Extra-base hits: 99
• Total bases: 411
• Plate appearances: 731
• On-base percentage: .390
• Slugging percentage: .646
• At bats per home run: 11.78
• On-base plus slugging: 1.036

(Source: MLB.com)

Statistics published on the Major League Baseball website show Ohtani to be in the lead in a number of categories, in addition to his home runs and stolen bases crowns. He was far ahead of the second-place batters in categories including total runs scored; number of at-bats per home run; and OPS, or on-base plus slugging percentage. After undergoing elbow surgery in September 2023, taking him off of the pitching roster, it appears as though his focus on offense allowed him to excel at the plate this season.

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: National League MVP for 2024 Ohtani Shōhei appears in the final 2024 World Series game at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024. © USA Today Sports via Reuters Connect/Brad Penner-Imagn Images.)