Ohtani, Yamamoto named finalists for top National League awards

Shohei Ohtani’s historic two-way production and Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s commanding debut have earned both Dodgers stars finalist recognition for Major League Baseball’s top National League awards. The Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) named Ohtani a finalist for MVP and Yamamoto for Cy Young on Monday night. Their dual recognition marks another milestone for Japanese players shaping the league’s modern era.

Ohtani vies for another MVP title: Ohtani, already a two-time MVP winner in the American and National Leagues, was listed among the NL finalists alongside Juan Soto of the New York Mets and Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies. In his 2025 season with the Dodgers, Ohtani hit .282 with 55 home runs and 132 RBIs while posting a 1.014 OPS. He also made 10 starts on the mound, recording a 2.87 ERA over 47 innings before being limited late in the season.

Yamamoto earns Cy Young consideration: Yamamoto, in his first Major League season after joining the Dodgers from Japan’s Orix Buffaloes, was named one of three NL finalists for the Cy Young Award alongside Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cristopher Sánchez of the Philadelphia Phillies. The 26-year-old right-hander finished the regular season with a 2.49 ERA across 173⅔ innings and 201 strikeouts, helping lead Los Angeles’ rotation despite adjusting to a new league and schedule.

Award results ahead: BBWAA voting for the major awards was completed before the postseason, with results based solely on regular-season performance. The winners of the Cy Young Awards will be announced on Nov. 12, followed by the MVP Awards on Nov. 13, both televised on MLB Network. The recognition of Ohtani and Yamamoto marks another milestone for Japanese players in the majors, highlighting the continued global influence of Asian talent in professional baseball.