Shohei Ohtani won the 2025 National League Most Valuable Player Award in unanimous fashion, beating finalists Kyle Schwarber and Juan Soto. The Los Angeles Dodgers star posted a 1.014 OPS with 55 home runs while returning to pitching with a 2.87 ERA. This marks his fourth MVP, making history as only the second player with at least four such honors.
The announcement came on Thursday, November 13, 2025, with little suspense surrounding Ohtani's victory. He received all first-place votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America, solidifying his status as a favorite after a dominant season. At the plate, Ohtani hit 55 home runs and achieved a 1.014 OPS. On the mound, he made 14 starts for the first time since 2023, logging 47 innings with 62 strikeouts and a 2.87 ERA.
Ohtani's win extends his remarkable MVP history. He previously earned American League honors with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 and 2023, then National League MVP with the Dodgers in 2024. This fourth award places him behind only Barry Bonds, who has seven. It also marks his third consecutive MVP, a feat previously achieved solely by Bonds from 2001-04.
The Dodgers celebrated their 14th franchise MVP, breaking a tie with the San Francisco Giants for third most in MLB history behind the New York Yankees (22) and St. Louis Cardinals (18). Ohtani joins Roy Campanella as the only players with multiple MVPs in a Dodgers uniform, achieving back-to-back wins in his first two seasons with the team.
Additionally, Ohtani's success aligns with the Dodgers' consecutive World Series titles, matching Joe Morgan's rare combination of back-to-back MVPs and championships. He was also named 2025 NLCS MVP against the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming the seventh player—and first since 2010—to earn a postseason MVP alongside a regular-season award in the same year.
As a two-way player, this is Ohtani's third MVP in such a role, surpassing recent pitching MVPs like Justin Verlander (2011) and Clayton Kershaw (2014). In the American League, Aaron Judge won his third MVP on the same day.