OC Register: Shohei Ohtani becomes first player to win MVP by unanimous vote twice

[AngelsWin.com]

Shohei Ohtani didn’t even need to play a full season to achieve another piece of history.

Ohtani, who missed the last month of the Angels’ season because of injuries, was unanimously selected as the American League MVP on Thursday.

Ohtani became the first player in major league history to win the MVP unanimously twice. He also did it in 2021.

With a second-place finish in between those years, Ohtani just completed a three-year run that stands alone in the history of the sport.

Now, the two-way star is in the midst of a free agent process that could end with a record-breaking deal.

The baseball world has been guessing about which team will sign Ohtani. The Dodgers are a popular pick, but the Angels are also trying to keep him.

There was much more certainty with the MVP race.

Ohtani seemingly locked up the award over the summer, when he was American League Player of the Month in June and July. He then tore his ulnar collateral ligament in late August, ending his season as a pitcher. In early September he suffered a strained oblique that prevented him from hitting.

Still, Ohtani led the league with 44 home runs and a .412 on-base percentage. He led the majors with a .654 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.066.

On the mound, he posted a 3.14 ERA in 132 innings over 23 starts, with 167 strikeouts.

Related Articles

• Los Angeles Angels |
  Hoornstra: In hiring Ron Washington, Angels demonstrate what’s old is new
• Los Angeles Angels |
  New manager Ron Washington promises Angels’ focus will be to ‘run the West down’
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels make two coaching staff moves official
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Shohei Ohtani wins Silver Slugger at DH again
• Los Angeles Angels |
  The Audible: Ron Washington, USC’s hoops prodigies and if Chip Kelly’s on the hot seat

All the numbers were similar to his MVP season in 2021, when he hit 46 homers with a .965 OPS and a 3.18 ERA in 130⅓ innings.

Ohtani received all 30 votes, cast by two baseball writers representing each city in the American League. Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager finished second, while Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien was third.

Ohtani is one of 18 players to win the MVP unanimously, including teammate Mike Trout (in 2014) and one of 29 players to win multiple MVP awards, including Trout, a three-time winner.

The Angels have had seven MVP winners, with Don Baylor (1979) and Vladimir Guerrero (2004) joining Ohtani and Trout.

More to come on this story.

View the full article

[Angels 1961]

I wonder in negotiations if Ohtani asks where he will hit in batting order.

[JAHV76]

Well deserved truly a  

[Second Base]

In other news, scientists have recently discovered that water is in fact, wet. Stay tuned for more details. 

[maximus p]

Water is not wet.  It makes other things wet, but yeah, a GOAT