Ohtani was unanimously named the National League's 2024 Most Value Player on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
In the first year of his record-setting contract with the Dodgers, Ohtani won his first MVP in the National League unanimously. Having won two MVPs with the Angels prior, the superstar has now won an MVP in three of the last four seasons. He did so without throwing a pitch for the entirety of the 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and became the first designated hitter to win the award. The 30-year-old produced the first ever 50-50 season in MLB history, and he fell just four points shy of a Triple Crown with a .310 average. While speaking with the media Thursday, Ohtani noted that his goal is to be cleared to pitch by Opening Day, but that both he and the Dodgers will take things cautiously as he recovers from the shoulder surgery he underwent after the World Series to repair a torn labrum, per Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register.