Shohei Ohtani Oct 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) walks in the seventh inning against the New York Yankees during game two of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Shohei Ohtani is arguably the best player in Major League Baseball. On Thursday, Ohtani received some incredible recognition again. For the third time in his illustrious career, he received the Most Valuable Player Award.

Ohtani’s MVP victory on Thursday was in the National League for his efforts with the Los Angeles Dodgers this past season. Ohtani previously won two American League MVP awards with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 and 2023.

So, in other words, Shohei has now been all-around excellent in both leagues. That’s a remarkable feat, and one that puts him in incredibly exclusive company.

Ohtani is the second player in MLB history to win the MVP award in both the American and National Leagues. He now joins Hall of Famer Frank Robinson in a group of two MLB players who have achieved that historic feat.

“Shohei Ohtani is the 2nd player to win MVP in both leagues, joining Frank Robinson,” Sarah Langs posted.

Robinson won his first MVP award in 1961, in the National League with the Cincinnati Reds. Five years later, Robinson earned AL MVP honors with the Baltimore Orioles in the 1966 season.

There have been a lot of tremendous players in MLB history that have played in both leagues. But only two of them now in Robinson and Ohtani have been MVP-tremendous in both leagues.

In 2024, Ohtani had a historic season, with over 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases. Ohtani and the Dodgers capped off the incredible year with an impressive World Series victory. They defeated the New York Yankees in five games, winning the World Series in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium.

That wasn’t all the winning for Ohtani, obviously, as he’s now MVP too. The question is: Just how much more winning will he do in LA?

The sports world reacted in awe to the news on Ohtani and his historic MVP win.

[Sarah Langs]

About Chris Novak

Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022