LOS ANGELES: Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani won the American League MVP award Thursday for the second time in his Major League Baseball career.

Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to win an MVP award unanimously multiple times following the selection in 2021.

He also became the first Japanese player to be named an MVP multiple times. Ichiro Suzuki, who was an MVP in 2001, is the only other Japanese player to win the award.

“It is special to win the award,” Ohtani said after he was named the MVP. He said that his right elbow is recovering smoothly after surgery in September and that he wants to play the next season.

Ohtani received all 30 first-place votes in balloting by eligible Baseball Writers’ Association of America voters. Last season, he was in second place behind Aaron Judge.

JIJI Press