Shohei Ohtani claimed his third MVP award in four seasons on Thursday, earning a unanimous selection as the National League’s MVP after an outstanding debut season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Amazingly, Ohtani’s three MVP wins have all been unanimous, a truly remarkable feat. In fact, across all four major North American sports leagues—MLB, NFL, NHL, and NBA—no other player has ever secured more than one unanimous MVP, according to Opta Stats.
Shohei Ohtani’s historic season with the Los Angeles Dodgers
In MLB history, 21 players have been unanimously voted MVP, but none have achieved this feat more than once.
Ohtani made history by becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season. Prior to his remarkable feat, no player who hit 50 home runs had ever stolen more than 24 bases, but Ohtani shattered that record by swiping 59.
He achieved that accomplishment with what is widely considered one of the greatest single-game performances in Major League history, a 6-for-6 outing featuring three home runs against the Marlins at loanDepot park.
Despite Ohtani’s remarkable stats, there were still debates about whether a full-time designated hitter deserved the MVP Award. Historically, this had been a point of contention in MVP conversations.
As September approached, Ohtani seemed to be in a close race with Francisco Lindor, who was leading the New York Mets to a potential postseason spot while playing shortstop every day.
Ohtani’s perfect season
However, in the final month of the regular season, as the Dodgers pursued another NL West title, Ohtani saved his best performance for last. Over the last 26 games of the season, he hit 10 home runs, drove in 32 RBIs, and posted a 1.225 OPS, his highest of any month in 2024.
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These numbers were pivotal in helping the Dodgers narrowly secure the division over the Padres and cemented Ohtani’s status as the undisputed favorite to win his third MVP Award.
Ohtani also played a crucial role in the Dodgers’ World Series victory, marking the first of his career. He became the first player since his teammate Mookie Betts to win MVP in the same year his team captured the World Series title.
While recovering from his second major right elbow surgery, Ohtani produced the most impressive offensive season of his career. Despite a sluggish beginning at the plate, he finished the year leading the NL with a 9.2 bWAR. He also topped the league in runs scored (134), home runs (54), RBIs (130), on-base percentage (.390), slugging percentage (.646), and OPS (1.036).
The Japanese superstar is truly a one-of-a-kind player. In the upcoming season, with his healed right elbow, Ohtani will embark on his fifth year of balancing pitching and hitting at an elite level, where he’s competitive for both a Cy Young Award and a home run crown. For context, Babe Ruth only managed two seasons of such dual-threat dominance.
Ohtani’s debut season with the Dodgers was nearly flawless in every aspect. As he moves forward, he aims to keep creating more historic milestones.