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Before the 2024 season started, it was destined to be unlike any other. The $700 million signing of Shohei Ohtani to make him a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the next decade quickly followed by a 12-year, $325 million deal reached with Yoshinobu Yamamoto immediately put another target on L.A.’s back.
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With more offseason acquisitions, murmurs of how offering deferred money in a contract is ruining the sport and a championship-or-bust mindset, the stakes were raised significantly by the time the Dodgers opened their season in Seoul, South Korea.
Ninety-eight wins later, the Dodgers found themselves competing once again in October. Beating the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, and the New York Mets in the NLCS. The Dodgers found themselves in a classic rivalry renewed playing the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic.
Despite an overhaul of offensive talent in New York, the Dodgers won their eighth World Series ring, doing so in just five games against the Bombers.
That next month, Ohtani was named National League MVP. His third MVP award and first in the NL on his new team.Saturday evening, Ohtani accepted the honor at the 100th Annual New York Baseball Writer’s Dinner for BBWAA Awards via a recorded speech.
Usually with the assistance of an interpreter for bilingual speeches, Ohtani was instead alone and gave this speech solely in English.
Thanking key Dodgers front office members, his teammates, the fans, and the opportunity to play for the franchise among other gratitude shared, he ended the speech with a more personal touch to the city.
“Lastly, I wanted to dedicate this award to the entire city of Los Angeles,” he said. “To all the first responders, firefighters, and to all of the fire departments for their heroic efforts to combat these fires in Los Angeles.
“Stay strong and united. We will get through this. Thank you.”
Ohtani was certainly deserving of his second consecutive league MVP award in 2024. He had career-highs in batting average (.310), home runs (54), RBIs (120) total runs (134), and WAR (9.2).
Ohtani also became the first-ever player to hit more than 50 home runs and steal more than 50 bases, another career mark.
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Photo Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
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