Yoshinobu Yamamoto Picks Shohei Ohtani To Win 2025 MLB All-Star Game MVP

The Los Angeles Dodgers are represented at the 2025 MLB All-Star Game by National League starters Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith and Freddie Freeman, in addition to Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Clayton Kershaw being on the pitching staff.

They are also accompanied by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and his coaching staff by virtue of the team winning the pennant last year.

It’s a first career All-Star selection for Yamamoto, who was added onto the NL roster as part of the commissioner’s office making picks. That’s not to diminish the strong season he’s having, which even with a stretch of inconsistency, saw Yamamoto go into the All-Star break with the fifth-best ERA (2.59) in the NL.

Part of being in Atlanta this week has entailed fulfilling media obligations, both during All-Star Game availability and through various appearances. One of which was alongside Ohtani, as the two Japanese stars joined the MLB Network set prior to the Home Run Derby at Truist Park.

It concluded with MLB Network host Greg Amsinger asking Yamamoto predict which of his Dodgers teammates would win MVP of the 2025 All-Star Game.

While interpreter Will Ireton joined the players to translate their answers, Yamamoto responded in English, “Shohei Ohtani.”

The 2025 All-Star Game is Ohtani’s fifth career selection. Each of the Midsummer Classic appearances have come consecutively since 2021, with the last two as a member of the Dodgers.

Ohtani has never won the All-Star Game MVP Award in his career.

Dodgers All-Star Game MVP winners

There have been a combined five Dodgers All-Star Game MVPs in MLB history, with those awards won by four players.

Maury Wills was the Dodgers’ first All-Star MVP when he earned the honor in the inaugural game in 1962. Since then he’s been joined in Dodgers franchise history by Steve Garvey (1974, 1978), Don Sutton (1977) and Mike Piazza (1996) as All-Star Game MVP winners.

Garvey became the first two-time MVP in All-Star Game history.