Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge were named MVP of the National League and American League, respectively, by MLB. Ohtani, who previously won the AL MVP in 2021 and 2023, had an impressive first year with the Dodgers hitting .310 with 54 home runs and 130 RBI, leading the NL in the latter two categories along with OPS. He also stole 59 bases, becoming the first player in MLB history to have at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season. Ohtani signed a massive 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers before the 2024 season after spending six years with the Los Angeles Angels. While he did not pitch due to Tommy John surgery, Ohtani played a key role in the Dodgers’ World Series run.
On the other hand, Judge won his second MVP award after leading the AL in OPS, homers, RBI, and finishing third in batting average. Judge hit .322 with 58 home runs and 144 RBI for the Yankees in the previous season. He has hit at least 50 home runs in two of the last three seasons, including 62 in 2022. The Yankees signed Judge to a nine-year, $360 million contract in December 2022. Under Judge’s leadership, the Yankees finished first in the AL with 94 wins and made their first World Series appearance since 2009, losing to Ohtani’s Dodgers.
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