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1 year ago
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Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani became the first ever two-time unanimous Most Valuable Player when he won the American League award on Thursday.
Ohtani is set to be a free agent this offseason and received all 30 first-place votes and 420 points in voting by the Baseball Writers´ Association of America.
He was a unanimous MVP in 2021 and finished second to the Yankees' Aaron Judge in voting last year.
Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. won the National League honor, also a unanimous pick.
There have now been 21 unanimous MVPs, and this year marked the first time since the award began being given out back in 1931 that the winner in each league was a unanimous selection.
Shohei Ohtani became the first ever two-time unanimous MVP after winning the AL award
Braves Ronald Acuna Jr was named the unanimous National League MVP award winner
Ohtani led the AL with 44 homers and hit .304 with 96 RBIs, eight triples, and 20 stolen bases before his season at the plate ended Sept. 3 because of an oblique injury.
On top of those impressive numbers, Ohtani was 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts on the mound, striking out 167 and walking 55 in 132 innings before tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on Aug. 23.
Meanwhile Acuna's Road to receiving all 30 first-place votes and 420 points in voting came after he became the first big leaguer with 40 homers and 70 stolen bases in a season.
The soon to be 26-year-old was second in the NL with a .336 batting average and led the major leagues with 149 runs, 217 hits, 386 total bases and 73 stolen bases while hitting 41 home runs with 106 RBIs.
His heroics helped Atlanta to a major league-best 104 wins before the Braves lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in an NL Division Series.
Corey Seager was second with 24 second-place votes and 264 points, and Texas teammate Marcus Semien was third with five second-place votes and 216 points.
Voting took place before the postseason, when the two Rangers players went on to capture the World Series title.
Meanwhile in the NL Mookie Betts received all 30 second-place votes and 270 points, followed by his Los Angeles Dodgers teammate Freddie Freeman with 227 points.
Betts earned the 2018 AL MVP award with the Boston Red Sox and Freeman was the 2020 NL MVP with the Dodgers.
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