The Los Angeles Angels’ 2023 season did not proceed as planned. Despite an all-out effort, the Los Angeles Angels failed to make the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season, and they now face huge problems this offseason, including the free agency of two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani was likely the Angels’ only bright spot this season, posting another historic season before being sidelined by UCL and oblique problems. In 2023, he was likely the finest hitter in the game while also enjoying an outstanding season on the mound, basically flipping the type of top productivity he had in 2022.

That performance has earned him a berth as one of three American League MVP candidates. Ohtani earned the AL MVP award unanimously in 2021, and while that effort may not be replicated in 2023 due to his missing games, he is largely regarded as the favorite to win his second MVP trophy.

Ohtani hit.304/.412/.654 with a 1.066 OPS in 135 plate appearances. His on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS were all AL highs, while the last two were Major League highs. His 184 OPS+ was the highest in baseball, indicating that his at-bat performance was 84% better than that of a replacement-level player.

He wasn’t as dominant on the mound, but he still had a season to be proud of before undergoing his second Tommy John surgery. Ohtani finished with a 3.14 ERA, a 1.061 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings pitched over 23 starts. He finished with a greater OPS at the plate than WHIP on the mound for the first time in his career.

He led the AL with 44 home runs, two short of his career high set in 2021.

Ohtani is up for the award with two other Texas Rangers: shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Marcus Semien. The winners will be announced on November 16.

Complete list of award finalists
AL MVP

Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani
Texas Rangers’ Corey Seager
Texas Rangers’ Marcus Semien

NL MVP

Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acua Jr.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman

AL Cy Young Award

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman
Minnesota Twins’ Sonny Gray

NL Cy Young Award

Arizona Diamondbacks’ Zac Gallen
San Diego Padres’ Blake Snell
San Francisco Giants’ Logan Webb

Manager of the Year in AL

Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy
Tampa Bay Rays’ Kevin Cash
Baltimore Orioles, Brandon Hyde

Manager of the Year in the Netherlands

Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell
Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker
Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker

Rookie of the Year in the American League

Cleveland Guardians’ Tanner Bibee
Boston Red Sox’s Triston Casas
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Gunnar Henderson

Rookie of the Year in the National League

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Carroll
Los Angeles Dodgers’ James Outman
Kodai Senga of the New York Mets