Shohei Ohtani added another historic milestone to his career on Thursday, unanimously winning the National League MVP Award for the second straight season and the fourth MVP award in his last five seasons. Ohtani received all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, finishing ahead of runner-up Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies and third-place finisher Juan Soto of the Mets. He now trails only Barry Bonds — who won seven — for the most MVP awards in Major League history, and he joins Bonds as the only players ever to win the honor more than three times. All four of Ohtani’s MVPs have been won unanimously.

Ohtani’s 2025 season saw his return as a two-way player. At the plate, he slashed .282/.392/.622 and set a Dodgers franchise record for the second straight season with 55 home runs. He led the National League with a 179 OPS+ and posted a 1.014 OPS while once again serving as one of baseball’s best hitters.

Just as remarkable was his return to the mound. After nearly two years recovering from elbow surgery, Ohtani made 14 regular-season starts for the Dodgers, with a 2.87 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 47 innings. He finished the regular season with 16⅔ consecutive scoreless innings, showcasing the dominant form that helped define his career.

Ohtani elevated his game even further in October. He pitched six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts in Game 4 of the NLCS, helping the Dodgers clinch their second straight pennant, and added three home runs in the same game. In the 18-inning Game 3 of the World Series, he reached base in all nine plate appearances, including four intentional walks. His eight postseason home runs tied Corey Seager’s 2020 franchise record for the most in a single playoff run.

Now two years into his Dodgers tenure, Ohtani has already become the first player in franchise history to win multiple MVP awards with the club. His latest unanimous MVP win only further solidifies that he is one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen.