One league was simply not big enough for Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge.
For three years, Major League Baseball’s two biggest stars traded off winning the American League Most Valuable Player award, with Ohtani’s two-way greatness on the mound and at the plate earning him the distinction in 2021 and ’23, while Judge had to hit an AL-record 62 home runs to take the crown in 2022.
Now, after Ohtani left the Los Angeles Angels for the National League and the Dodgers, there’s an award for each of them. And Thursday night, they took ’em home in unanimous fashion.
Ohtani won his first NL MVP and third overall on the strength of the first 50-homer, 50-steal season in major league history, while Judge’s greatest season ever resulted in his second AL MVP awarded by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Ohtani, 30, joins Hall of Famer Frank Robinson as the only players to win MVPs in both leagues after his 54-homer, 59-steal season smashed almost all his career highs. It’s almost like not having to pitch while recovering from a second Tommy John surgery merely galvanized his offensive production.
Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.
He batted a career-best .310 and led the NL in on-base percentage (.390), slugging (.646), OPS (1.036), adjusted OPS (190) and RBI (130). His 134 runs scored and 411 total bases led the major leagues and were career highs.
Yet Ohtani still couldn’t out-slug Judge.
The New York Yankees captain hit 58 home runs, for a moment stirring thoughts of a run at his ’22 record 62 longballs and led the majors in nine other significant offensive statistics, including career bests in WAR (10.8) and OPS (1.159, 223 adjusted).
Judge’s 1.010 career OPS is now tied with Rogers Hornsby for 10th all time, and he joins Alex Rodriguez, Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig as Yankees with multiple MVPs.
NL MVP winner: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
The greatest two-way player in baseball might also be the master of reinvention.
When a second Tommy John surgery sidelined Shohei Ohtani from pitching in 2024, it seemed he’d be hard-pressed to add a third MVP to his mantle, what with the novelty of two-way greatness on hold for the year. Yet after signing a $700 million contract and moving from the AL to the NL in joining the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani proved there may be no ceiling in his universe.
Ohtani, 30, was named NL MVP Thursday night after his 54-homer, 59-steal season produced the first 50-50 campaign in major league history. He prevailed in unanimous fashion over New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte.
In setting the tone as the leadoff man for a club that won 98 games and its first full-season World Series title since 1988, Ohtani became just the second Dodgers position player, along with Cody Bellinger, to win NL MVP since Kirk Gibson claimed the honor for those ’88 Dodgers.
Ohtani also becomes the 11th player in baseball history to win three MVPs, joining former Angels teammates Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. Come 2025, he’ll take aim at a fourth MVP that would place him behind only Barry Bonds’ seven, and who’s to bet against him?
After all, he should be pitching again.
NL MVP voting results
Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (30 first-place votes): 420 points
Francisco Lindor, Mets: 263
Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks: 229
Marcell Ozuna, Braves: 134
William Contreras, Brewers: 132
Bryce Harper, Phillies: 130
Chris Sale, Braves: 99
Elly De La Cruz, Reds: 89
Jackson Merrill, Padres: 57
Willy Adames, Brewers: 54
Also receiving votes: Matt Chapman, Giants, 37; Zack Wheeler, Phillies, 31; Mookie Betts, Dodgers, 24; Jurickson Profar, Padres, 23; Kyle Schwarber, Phillies, 15; Manny Machado, Padres, 12; Freddie Freeman, Dodgers, 6; Luis Arraez, Padres, 4; Paul Skenes, Pirates, 3; Teoscar Hernández, Dodgers, 3; Ezequiel Tovar, Rockies, 3; Jackson Chourio, Brewers, 1; Dylan Cease, Padres, 1.
AL MVP winner: Aaron Judge, Yankees
One Bronx Bomber will command so much of the spotlight this winter. But Thursday night, we were reminded that Aaron Judge remains the baddest man in pinstripes – and the American League.
Judge won his second AL Most Valuable Player award, earning unanimous support from the Baseball Writers Association of America, and became the seventh New York Yankee to earn multiple MVP awards.
His first came in 2022, when Judge broke the AL record for home runs set by one of those two-time winners – Roger Maris – and then hit the free agent market. Not only did the Yankees retain him with a nine-year, $360 million contract, they also named him captain.
Two years later, the captain is again king: Judge hit a major-league best 58 home runs and exceeded his career highs in several categories, most notably with a 1.159 OPS and 10.8 WAR. And he formed a beautiful medley with lefty slugger Juan Soto, who finished third in MVP voting after hitting a career-high 41 home runs himself.
Now, it is Soto on the market, and Judge has advocated for his return. Soto will well exceed Judge’s free-agent haul, perhaps exceeding a half-billion dollars in value. Yet Judge once again proved he’s the one setting the on-field standard in the AL.
AL MVP voting results
Aaron Judge, Yankees (30 first place votes): 420 points
Bobby Witt Jr., Royals: 270
Juan Soto, Yankees: 229
Gunnar Henderson, Orioles: 208
José Ramírez, Guardians: 184
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays: 99
Tarik Skubal, Tigers: 93
Jarren Duran, Red Sox: 90
Yordan Alvarez, Astros: 75
Brent Rooker, Athletics: 40
Also receiving votes: Emmanuel Clase, Guardians, 36; Cal Raleigh, Mariners, 12; Rafael Devers, Red Sox, 5; Anthony Santander, Orioles, 4; Jose Altuve, Astros, 1; Tyler Holton, Tigers, 1; Seth Lugo, Royals, 1; Corey Seager, Rangers, 1; Framber Valdez, Astros, 1.
MLB MVP winners
2024: Aaron Judge (Yankees), Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers)
2023: Shohei Ohtani (Angels), Ronald Acuña Jr. (Braves)
2022: Aaron Judge (Yankees), Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals)
2021: Shohei Ohtani (Angels), Bryce Harper (Phillies)
2020: José Abreu (White Sox), Freddie Freeman (Braves)
2019: Mike Trout (Angels), Cody Bellinger (Dodgers)
2018: Mookie Betts (Red Sox), Christian Yelich (Brewers)
2017: Jose Altuve (Astros), Giancarlo Stanton (Marlins)
2016: Mike Trout (Angels), Kris Bryant (Cubs)
2015: Josh Donaldson (Blue Jays), Bryce Harper (Nationals)
2014: Mike Trout (Angels), Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers)
2013: Miguel Cabrera (Tigers), Andrew McCutchen (Pirates)
2012: Miguel Cabrera (Tigers), Buster Posey (Giants)
2011: Justin Verlander (Tigers), Ryan Braun (Brewers)
2010: Josh Hamilton (Rangers), Joey Votto (Reds)
2009: Joe Mauer (Twins), Albert Pujols (Cardinals)
2008: Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox), Albert Pujols (Cardinals)
2007: Alex Rodriguez (Yankees), Jimmy Rollins (Phillies)
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.