NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� won his third Most Valuable Player Award and first in the National League, and earned his second American League honor on Thursday.
Ohtani was a unanimous MVP for the third time, receiving all 30 first-place votes and 420 points in voting by the Baseball Writers鈥� Association of America. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was second with 263 points and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte third with 229.
Judge was a unanimous pick for the first time. Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. got all 30 second-place votes for 270 points, and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto was third with 21 third-place votes and 229 points.
Ohtani was unanimously voted the AL MVP in and as a two-way star for the Los Angeles Angels and finished second to Judge in . He didn鈥檛 pitch in 2024 following elbow surgery and signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December.
Ohtani joined Frank Robinson for Cincinnati in 1961 and Baltimore in 1966 as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues. He was the first player to twice become an unanimous MVP. He had combined with Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acu帽a Jr. in 2023 for the first year both MVPs were unanimous.
Ohtani hit .310, stole 59 bases and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs exclusively as a designated hitter, becoming the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. He helped the Dodgers to the World Series title, playing the final three games with a .
鈥淭he ultimate goal from the beginning was to win a World Series, which we are able to accomplish,鈥� he said through a translator. 鈥淭he next goal is for me to do it again and so right now I鈥檓 in the middle of rehab and working out and getting stronger.鈥�
When Ohtani returns to the mound, could he win MVP and the Cy Young Award in the same year?
鈥淭hat would obviously be great, but right now my focus is just to get to get back healthy, come back stronger, get back on the mound and show everybody what I can do,鈥� Ohtani said.
Ohtani became the first primary DH to win an MVP in a season that started with the revelation his had stolen nearly $17 million from the star to fund gambling.
Ohtani is the 12th player with three or more MVPs, joining Barry Bonds (seven) and Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout (three each).
Balloting was conducted before the postseason.
Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Witt topped the big leagues with a .332 average, hitting 32 homers with 31 stolen bases and 109 RBIs. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs.
When Judge won his first MVP award in 2022, he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani got the other two.
Judge had discussed the MVP award with Philadelphia鈥檚 Bryce Harper, the NL winner in 2015 and 鈥�21.
鈥淚 was telling him, `Man, I鈥檓 going to try to catch up to you with these MVPs here, man,鈥欌�� Judge recalled. 鈥淗e鈥檇 say, hopefully, he could stay a couple ahead of me, which I think he鈥檒l do.鈥�
When Judge won his first MVP award in 2022, he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani got the other two. He is the Yankees' 22nd MVP winner, four more than any other team.
Judge was hitting .207 with six homers and 18 RBIs through April, then batted .352 with 52 homers and 126 RBIs in 127 games.
鈥淢arch and April were not my friend this year.鈥� Judge said. 鈥淛ust keep putting in the work and things are going to change. You can鈥檛 mope. You can鈥檛 feel sorry for yourself. Especially in New York, nobody鈥檚 going to feel sorry for you. So you just got to go out there and put up the numbers?鈥�
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AP MLB:
Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
