Ohtani Secures Second Straight NL MVP

In a remarkable display of talent, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani has claimed his second consecutive National League MVP award in 2024, marking his fourth MVP overall. The announcement came on Thursday as Ohtani decisively triumphed over fellow finalists Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies and Juan Soto of the New York Mets, securing all 30 first-place votes and winning the award unanimously.

Ohtani's achievements in the 2025 season are nothing short of extraordinary. He posted a .282/.392/.622 slash line, hitting an impressive 55 home runs while stealing 20 bases as a designated hitter. After making a return to pitching in June, Ohtani showcased his prowess on the mound with a 2.87 ERA and 62 strikeouts over 47 innings. His combination of offensive and pitching production resulted in a staggering 9.4 FanGraphs wins above replacement (WAR), solidifying his status as a game-changing player. The only player in MLB history with more MVP awards than Ohtani is Barry Bonds, who holds seven.

Judge Shines Again in the AL

On the American League side, New York Yankees' slugger Aaron Judge captured his third MVP award in four years, defeating finalists Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners and José Ramírez of the Cleveland Guardians. Judge, who led the league in all three major hitting categories with a remarkable .331/.457/.688 slash line and 53 home runs, garnered 17 first-place votes, narrowly outpacing Raleigh, who received 13.

Judge's overall performance cemented his position among baseball's elite, achieving a 10.1 WAR— the highest of any player in either league. Though Raleigh's historic 60-home run season, highlighted by his 49 homers as a catcher, drew significant attention and admiration, it was Judge's dominance and consistency that ultimately earned him the MVP honors. This victory places Judge among an elite group of only 13 players in MLB history to achieve three MVP awards.

As both Ohtani and Judge continue to set and break records, they have become the defining players of their era, each leaving their mark on the league and solidifying their legacies in the process.