Shohei Ohtani has added more hardware. This time it's the 2024 National League MVP Award. Ohtani's 2024 was so much more than this award though. He continues to etch his place in baseball history and stake his claim in the discussion of the best to ever do the job. In this year, more than anything, Ohtani just completely silenced any former naysayers.
Before this season, Ohtani had only played for the Angels, a team that never contended late in the season during his entire tenure there. There were a few times they flirted with contention early in the season and even into July, but every single year they were cooked by September. Ohtani entered 2024 with zero career playoff games.
Any time a player gets built up the way Ohtani does, the pushback invariably follows. With Ohtani, it was easy for the people who love to do so. Ohtani was a novelty act that would never fly with a contender. He's not leading his team to the playoffs, so his stats don't mean as much. It's easier because there's no pressure to win in Anaheim on a non-contender. We've never seen him do it when it matters. Etc.
It's all nonsense, of course, and Ohtani showed as much this season.
While rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Ohtani went out and performed as the best all-around offensive player in baseball.
When he won his first MVP in 2021, he hit .257. This time around, he hit a career-high .310. He led the league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage, posting a career-best 190 OPS+. He also established new career highs with 197 hits, 38 doubles, 54 homers, 130 RBI, 134 runs and 59 stolen bases.
Yes, with 54 homers and 59 steals, Ohtani not only became the first player to ever reach the 50-50 club, but he shattered that ceiling.
He did all of this with the attention-grabbing Dodgers. They had the best record in baseball despite a litany of injuries. All the while, Ohtani was a constant. He led the NL in plate appearances while his teammates fell to injury what seemed like daily.
Oh, and the Dodgers won the World Series.
We've already seen Ohtani win two MVPs as a two-way player, a first in MLB history. We've now seen him win an MVP as a designated hitter, also a first in MLB history. This time around, he did so while carrying the best team in baseball en route to winning the World Series.
Are there still any lingering naysayers? There sure shouldn't be.
Ohtani now joins exclusive company with three MVPs. The only player to have ever won more is Barry Bonds. Here's the list of players with at least three.
- Barry Bonds (NL: 1990, 1992, 1993, 2001-04)
- Shohei Ohtani (AL: 2021, 2023, NL: 2024)
- Mike Trout (AL: 2014, 2016, 2019)
- Albert Pujols (NL: 2005, 2008-09)
- Alex Rodriguez (AL: 2003, 2005, 2007)
- Mike Schmidt (NL: 1980-81, 1986)
- Mickey Mantle (AL: 1956-57, 1962)
- Yogi Berra (AL: 1951, 1954-55)
- Roy Campanella (NL: 1951, 1953, 1955)
- Stan Musial (NL: 1943, 1946, 1948)
- Joe DiMaggio (AL: 1939, 1941, 1947)
- Jimmie Foxx (AL: 1932-33, 1938)
Ohtani joins Hall of Famer and inner-circle all-time great Frank Robinson as the only players to ever win an MVP in each league.
Shohei Ohtani is only 30 years old and he'll return to both pitching and hitting next season. There's an argument to be made that he's the single most talented player in the history of baseball. He might even end up the greatest player ever. He'll need to continue to build on the longevity aspect in order to truly join the upper-tier of all-time great players, but he's well on his way.
Not only that, but in 2024, Ohtani proved that any lingering doubters were going to continue to look foolish. Question his ability to do anything at your peril.