Home Baseball Shohei Ohtani was chosen the American League’s most outstanding player at the Players Choice Awards

Shohei Ohtani was chosen the American League’s most outstanding player at the Players Choice Awards

Baseball — 11/03/2023

Shohei Ohtani was named the American League’s Outstanding Player for the second time by his peers in this year’s Players Choice Awards, which were presented Thursday.

The two-way superstar, who entered free agency on the same day after his sixth season with the Los Angeles Angels, previously won the title in 2021, when he was also voted Player of the Year.

Ohtani named AL's most outstanding in Players Choice Awards - The Japan Times

Right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves was awarded Player of the Year and National League Outstanding Player this season.

“As a player, it has a special meaning to be selected by your peers—not only by your teammates but also by your rivals,” Ohtani said in a video published by the Major League Baseball Players Association.

“It’s extra special when they recognize you as the league’s most outstanding player, and I’m very honored.” I’ll use this as motivation to improve in the future.”

Ohtani is projected to get a record-breaking MLB contract this winter, with the Los Angeles Dodgers being a strong contender.

He is one of three Japanese players on the MLBPA’s free agency list, along with pitchers Kenta Maeda, who is expected to re-sign with the Minnesota Twins, and Shintaro Fujinami, who ended his MLB debut season with the Baltimore Orioles after being acquired from the Oakland Athletics.

MLB/ Shohei Ohtani named Player of the Year by peers | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Ohtani became the first Japanese player to lead a major league in home runs this year, with 44, while also going 10-5 on the pitching with a 3.14 ERA.

He led the majors in slugging rate (.654) and on-base-plus-slugging rate (1.066), but he missed the rest of the season due to right elbow surgery, which will keep him off the mound until 2024.

The 29-year-old is also a candidate for AL Silver Slugger at designated hitter and is considered the favorite to win AL MVP when the winner is announced on Nov. 16.

The Angels have until 5 p.m. Monday to negotiate privately with Ohtani and are expected to offer him the standard one-year qualifying offer, which MLB set at $20.3 million this year. If accepted, this would be a big decrease from his $30 million compensation in 2023.

If he declines, the Angels will be eligible for compensation in the MLB draft next year. Negotiations with other teams are anticipated to heat up during the Major League Baseball winter meetings in early December.