Hold onto your caps, baseball enthusiasts – the 2025 MLB season has just crowned its MVPs, and Shohei Ohtani has clinched his third straight title unanimously, setting the stage for what promises to be a nail-biting American League showdown next! But here's where it gets controversial: Is a player who excels in two roles really the most valuable, or should the award favor those who dominate just one position? Stick around to dive into the details and decide for yourself.
Right now, the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) is live on MLB Network, doling out the final accolades for the 2025 campaign, including the coveted Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors for each league. And guess what? They've saved the juiciest competition for the encore. For newcomers to the sport, think of the MVP as baseball's ultimate individual trophy, recognizing the player who contributed the most to their team's success through a blend of skill, stats, and sheer impact – often sparking debates among fans and experts alike.
In the American League, the suspense was palpable late in the season. Yankees icon Aaron Judge is gunning for his second consecutive MVP (and his third in total), showcasing his power and consistency year after year. Meanwhile, Mariners newcomer Cal Raleigh has burst onto the scene with a breakout campaign that has people buzzing about his potential for a first-time win. Guardians standout José Ramírez completes the AL finalist trio, bringing his clutch hitting and versatility to the table. And this is the part most people miss – the AL race highlights how subjective these awards can be, with stats alone not always telling the full story of a player's influence on team performance.
Shifting to the National League, Ohtani was up against Phillies power hitter Kyle Schwarber and Mets outfielder Juan Soto, both of whom built strong cases purely through their offensive prowess as position players. But Ohtani's multifaceted brilliance shone brightest, earning him the unanimous nod.
Follow the live updates here to catch the winners as they unfold:
Check out the all-time MVP Award winners for some historical context (https://www.mlb.com/awards/most-valuable-player)
Dive into the full MVP Award vote totals for a deeper look at the competition (https://www.mlb.com/news/2025-mlb-mvp-award-voting-results)
National League MVP Winner: Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers
No one in baseball matches the sheer breadth of contributions Ohtani delivers when he's fully fit – juggling pitching duties with slugging at the plate. And now, he's added another trophy to his glittering collection. This victory places him in elite company: alongside Roger Maris (who won with the 1960-61 Yankees) as the only players to snag MVP honors in their initial two seasons with a new club, and alongside Joe Morgan (with the 1975-76 Reds) as the sole individuals to claim both an MVP and a World Series ring in back-to-back years. To clarify for beginners, these milestones underscore how rare and impactful Ohtani's performances are, elevating the game's standards.
As a batter in his age-30 season, Ohtani posted impressive numbers: a .282 batting average, .392 on-base percentage, and .622 slugging percentage, blasting a personal-best 55 home runs alongside 25 doubles, an astonishing nine triples (a rarity in modern baseball), and 102 RBIs. He crossed home plate more than anyone else in MLB with 146 runs scored, and his on-base plus slugging (OPS) of 1.014, OPS+ of 179 (indicating he's 79% better than the average hitter), and 380 total bases led the league. For those unfamiliar, these stats measure offensive power and efficiency – essentially, how effectively a player gets on base and drives in runs.
These hitting feats alone might have secured Ohtani the win over Soto and Schwarber, whose arguments rested solely on their batting stats as everyday fielders. But here's where it gets really intriguing – Ohtani didn't stop there; he took the mound too, showcasing baseball's most versatile talent.
On June 16, the two-way sensation returned to pitching after more than a year off, following his second major elbow surgery since joining MLB (first with the Angels). He carefully rebuilt his arm strength through actual games, gradually ramping up to a normal starter's schedule, and ended up bolstering the injury-plagued Dodgers bullpen. In total, he recorded a stellar 2.87 earned run average (ERA) and a 145 ERA+ (meaning he was 45% superior to the league average) over 47 innings in 14 starts, fanning 62 batters while issuing just nine walks. To put this in perspective, a low ERA like that means opponents scored fewer runs against him, and the ERA+ adjusts for park factors and eras, making it easier to compare across time.
Reflecting on his journey, Ohtani shared through his interpreter: 'The biggest challenge for me early on was dealing with some tightness in my left shoulder after surgery. But as the season went on, it loosened up, and I regained my routine, timing, and control. From then on, it was smooth sailing.'
Ohtani's overall contribution, quantified by his 9.4 FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement (WAR) – a metric that estimates how many more wins his team gained due to his presence compared to a replacement player – topped the National League. For beginners, WAR is like a comprehensive scorecard combining hitting, pitching, fielding, and baserunning into one number, helping fans grasp a player's total value.
Through his dual-threat style, Ohtani has carved out an unmatched career in MLB, even amplifying the sport's global appeal, from American stadiums to international audiences. Winning MVPs has become almost routine for him, given his groundbreaking path. But is this the future of baseball – rewarding versatility over specialization? And does a pitcher-hitter hybrid truly offer more 'value' than a pure slugger? Some argue it democratizes the game, inspiring young players to master multiple skills, while others contend it dilutes the focus on one position. What do you think – should Ohtani's approach redefine the MVP criteria, or is there room for debate? Jump into the comments and let us know your take; agreement or disagreement, we're all about the conversation!
