Contemporary off of successful the primary World Sequence of his profession, Shohei Ohtani was unanimously voted because the 2024 Nationwide League MVP.
It’s the first time anybody has received the award as a chosen hitter.
That is Ohtani’s third time successful MVP (all unanimously) and the primary time within the Nationwide League. Ohtani is the second participant to win the award in each leagues, becoming a member of Frank Robinson.
Ohtani turned the fifteenth MVP in Dodgers franchise historical past and the primary since Cody Bellinger in 2019.
It was an entire workforce effort, I would not have been capable of obtain this award if it weren’t for my teammates,” Ohtani mentioned after successful the award. “I am receiving this award as representing the workforce.”
When Ohtani signed his mega $700M contract final offseason, he was coming off a significant arm surgical procedure for the second time in his MLB profession. Whereas he couldn’t pitch in 2024, he might nonetheless play as a chosen hitter.
There have been some considerations as to how a lot worth Ohtani might convey as a DH-only participant. He silenced these considerations by placing up the most effective offensive season of his profession. Â
In his first yr in Los Angeles, Ohtani helped lead the Dodgers to the playoffs whereas hitting .310/.390/1.036 with an OPS+ of 190. He additionally led the Nationwide League in residence runs, RBI, on-base share and slugging share whereas hitting leadoff for many of the season.
Ohtani shattered a number of Dodger and MLB information en path to changing into the MVP.
He broke the franchise file for many residence runs in a single season whereas concurrently changing into the first-ever participant in historical past to have a 50/50 season.
He did all of this whereas recovering from surgical procedure that may have pressured another participant to overlook the season.
Ohtani successful MVP is a tremendous finish to what was an unreal first yr with the Dodgers. When he returns to the mound in 2025, there isn’t any telling what different information he might break.
