Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuna Jr. were unanimously voted the Most Valuable Players of their respective leagues on Thursday, an unprecedented event in the award’s 92-year history.
Ohtani, a tantalizing free agent fresh off another historic two-way season, also became the first player in 2021 to win the honor unanimously on two occasions. The Texas Rangers’ standout middle infielders, Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, finished second and third in the American League, respectively.
Despite missing most of the last two months of the Los Angeles Angels’ season, Ohtani got all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
He rejoiced by high-fiving a puppy who had been sitting on his lap the entire time.
“Obviously, I wanted to win it last year, but [Aaron] Judge had a spectacular season and, deservedly so, he won it,” Ohtani said through an interpreter immediately after Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson named him AL MVP. “So I wanted to come back stronger this year and try to win it, and I know my rivals, Semien and Seager, had great seasons, and congratulations to them on winning the World Series.” It’s fantastic, in my opinion. My goal was to come out on top, and this kind of rewards all of my hard work.”
Ohtani, who hasn’t talked to the media since August 9, did not attend as well, adding to the mystery surrounding his ongoing, widely anticipated free agency.
He arrived in the United States with much excitement around his two-way prowess in the winter of 2017, preferring the Angels over practically every other team. His first three seasons, however, were plagued by Tommy John surgery, a knee treatment, and a COVID-19-shortened season, which limited him to largely functioning as a designated hitter.
However, beginning in 2021, Ohtani began to perform at an elite level as both a pitcher and a hitter, becoming the first player to do so since Babe Ruth’s brief effort at a dual position about a century ago.
Ohtani won the AL MVP unanimously in 2021, then finished runner-up in 2022 after Judge’s AL-record-breaking home run season, before winning it again in 2023. Ohtani batted in total.From 2021 to 2023, he hit 277/.379/.585 with 124 home runs, 290 RBIs, and 57 stolen bases, but he also won 34 games, had a 2.84 ERA, and struck out 542 batters in 42813 innings as a pitcher.
On Aug. 23, Ohtani found that he had retorn his ulnar collateral ligament, but he continued to hit for nearly two weeks until an oblique strain forced him to stop. On September 19, Ohtani underwent a hybrid form of another Tommy John operation.
Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the orthopedic surgeon who conducted the treatment, stated in a statement that Ohtani will be ready to hit at the start of the 2024 season and will resume a two-way role by 2025.
Once again, questions surround Ohtani’s pursuit of that job, but executives across the business expect him to sign a free agency contract worth $500 million or more – uncharted territory for a North American professional athlete.
“As far as the rehab — it’s going really great so far, going really well,” Ohtani said in response to one of two queries from MLB Network. “It feels a lot better and faster than it did the first time.” At the same time, I cannot haste. I need to take things slowly and take the proper steps. My objective is to return strong the next year.”