Ohtani grateful to Dodgers after third career MVP award

LOS ANGELES - Shohei Ohtani of World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers has unanimously been named the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP), while New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge took home the American League honors in similar fashion on Nov 21.

- PHOTO: AFP

Japan's Ohtani earned all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America to beat out New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte.

"I wouldn't have been able to receive this award if it weren't for my teammates," he said through his interpreter. "Obviously, if my teammates weren't there and we didn't play as a team, we would not even have got to the play-offs or won the World Series. So for me, I am just taking this as I'm representing the team receiving this award."