Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge make history with back-to-back MVPs

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani wins 4th MLB MVP grant portion New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge bags a third.

While Shohei Ohtani had his greatness reconfirmed, Cal Raleigh learned not adjacent the top play by a catcher successful Major League Baseball past could halt Aaron Judge from adding different Most Valuable Player (MVP) grant to his trophy case.

Minutes aft Ohtani secured his 3rd consecutive MVP grant and 4th successful the past 5 years – leaving him conscionable 3 shy of Barry Bonds for the astir successful MLB past – Judge was announced arsenic the American League’s MVP successful a adjacent ballot with Raleigh connected Thursday night.

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Ohtani and Judge became the archetypal duo to triumph the Most Valuable Player Award successful the aforesaid back-to-back seasons.

The New York Yankees outfielder secured 17 of a imaginable 30 first-place votes and 355 points. The Seattle Mariners catcher claimed the different 13 first-place votes and finished with 335 points.

In the end, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voters determined that Judge’s MLB-leading batting mean (.331), on-base percent (.457) and slugging percent (.688) outweighed Raleigh’s AL-best 60 homers and 125 RBIs.

New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge belted 53 location runs and led the large leagues with a .331 batting mean [Frank Franklin II/AP Photo]

“It’s beauteous wild,” Judge said. “You effort not to deliberation astir it during the season. I effort to support my caput down done each 162 and bash immoderate I tin successful today’s crippled to assistance our squad win.”

For the 33-year-old Judge, it marks his 3rd MVP award. That puts him successful an exclusive neighbourhood with the likes of Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Mike Trout and a fistful of others – but Ohtani nary longer resides there.

The 31-year-old Japan autochthonal received each 30 first-place votes for the National League MVP.

Ohtani earned his latest honour aft piling up a career-high 55 homers, a majors-best 146 runs and an NL-high .622 slugging percent and 1.014 OPS successful 158 games.

He besides returned to the mound aft taking 18 months disconnected and forged a 1-1 grounds with a 2.87 ERA successful 14 starts. He registered 62 strikeouts versus conscionable 9 walks implicit 47 innings.

“It was a large year,” Ohtani said connected MLB Network via translator. “Like I said, I’m grateful to my teammates, the coaching unit … but not lone them. The fans were the ones who truly rooted america connected and supported us.”

Ohtani added 8 location runs successful 17 postseason games portion starring the Dodgers to their 2nd consecutive World Series title, though his playoff exploits did not origin into the BBWAA voting.

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, who produced a league-high 56 homers and 132 RBIs portion playing successful each 162 games, finished 2nd successful the balloting. He was followed by New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (43 homers, 38 stolen bases), Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (.290 average, 20 homers, 100 RBIs, 27 steals) and Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (league-leading .304 mean with 36 steals).

In the American League, Cleveland Guardians 3rd baseman Jose Ramirez (30 homers, 44 steals) finished a distant third.

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr (23 homers, 38 steals) and Detroit Tigers starter Tarik Skubal, who claimed his 2nd consecutive Cy Young Award with a 13-6 grounds and 2.21 ERA, rounded retired the apical five.