Shohei Ohtani: Winning 2024 NL Hank Aaron Award Is ‘An Honor’

The Los Angeles Dodgers capitalized on their first season with Shohei Ohtani as they won the 2024 World Series with their newest superstar leading the way.

The 30-year-old was recognized on Thursday at the All-MLB Awards, capturing his second career Hank Aaron Award and his first in the National League. He’s the first player in MLB history to win the award in both leagues after winning it in the American League in 2023.

“Thank you. It’s an honor to win an award named after the legendary Hank Aaron,” Ohtani said in a video message that was played during the awards show in Las Vegas.

“My deep appreciation and gratitude goes out to all the fans and Hall of Famers who voted for me. Your support means everything to me. See you in 2025.”

Ohtani’s offensive output this past season is one that had never been done. He became the first member of the 50/50 club with career highs in homers and stolen bases with 54 and 59, respectively.

He led the NL in runs scored, homers, RBIs, slugging, on-base plus slugging (1.036) and total bases (411). Ohtani finished the year batting .310/.390/.646 with 38 doubles, seven triples, 54 home runs, 134 runs scored and 130 RBI.

The Dodgers greatly benefitted from Ohtani’s special season, slotting him at the top of their lineup after Mookie Betts went down with injury and never looking back. His production never wavered, and over the course of the year, began to prove that there wasn’t much he couldn’t do on a baseball field.

Shohei Ohtani on track to win NL MVP

Without much room left in his trophy case, Ohtani is the favorite to win the NL MVP.

This honor would put him alongside legendary player Frank Robinson as the only ones to capture the award in both leagues. Robinson won it in 1961 with the Cincinnati Reds, and again in 1966 with the Baltimore Orioles.

Ohtani is expected to beat out the lone contender Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets by a fairly wide margin in the voting.