Ohtani Named MVP: Winning 4th Award with Unanimous Vote Demonstrates Phenomenal Talent

Editorial

15:55 JST, November 17, 2025

Will any future baseball player be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Shohei Ohtani? It can be said that Ohtani, having returned to being a two-way player — one who both pitches and hits — has solidified his status as No. 1 in the world and the greatest of all time through his achievements.

Ohtani, who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been named the National League’s Most Valuable Player, winning the third consecutive and fourth overall MVP award of his Major League Baseball career. As with his previous three wins, Ohtani was chosen unanimously, receiving first-place votes from all 30 eligible reporters.

A third consecutive and fourth overall MVP win represents a great achievement not seen since Barry Bonds, who holds the all-time record with seven MVP awards, including four consecutive wins.

In the 2025 season, Ohtani returned as a two-way player for the first time in two seasons after undergoing rehabilitation for surgery on his right elbow. As a pitcher, he started 14 games, posting a 1-1 record. As a hitter, he finished with a .282 batting average, a career-high 55 home runs and 102 RBIs.

Ohtani missed out on the National League home run title by just one, but it is noteworthy that he led both the American and National Leagues with his 146 runs scored as a leadoff hitter. His role in leading his team to two consecutive World Series titles through pitching and hitting is nothing short of spectacular.

His evolution has never stopped. To improve his hitting distance, Ohtani primarily used a bat 1.3 centimeters longer and 14 grams heavier than the one he used in the 2024 season. As a pitcher, he adopted a new style featuring more curveballs and earned his first win in 749 days.

After returning to the mound, his play made it seem as though joy was overflowing from his entire form. For Ohtani, being a two-way player is likely the style that allows him to express himself most fully.

While the winner of a league MVP award is decided primarily on regular season performance, it can be said that Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers showcased Ohtani’s true ability.

As the designated hitter in Game 4, he hit three home runs, including a leadoff homer. On the mound, his pitches reached 161 kilometers per hour, as he saw out six-plus scoreless innings, striking out 10 to earn the win.

It is no wonder the managers of both teams applauded his performance as being the greatest ever in the postseason during press conferences after the game.

The physical and mental strength required to continue competing as a two-way player on the world’s highest level is beyond imagination. It likely stems from his relentless effort and thirst for victory.

His first daughter was born in April. Ohtani said, “Just seeing her face when I get home makes all the fatigue from the day disappear.” The presence of his family must be a source of strength.

Ohtani is expected to be a two-way player throughout the 2026 season. He could simultaneously win both the home run title and the Cy Young Award, which is given to the best pitcher of the season. There is no other player who can make people dream of such a feat being achieved.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 17, 2025)