The baseball superstar ends 2025 by winning The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the fourth time, tying Lance Armstrong, LeBron James and Tiger Woods for most among male honorees.
“Receiving this award multiple times is something truly special,” Ohtani said in Japanese in an exclusive interview with the AP.
Ohtani received 29 of 47 votes in balloting among sports journalists from the AP and its members after his two-way dominance culminated in a repeat World Series title for his Los Angeles Dodgers — delivering perhaps the greatest single-game individual performance in sports history along the way. He previously won the award in 2024, his first season with the Dodgers, and in 2023 and 2021, when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.
The AP honor has been given out since 1931. Multisport standout Babe Didrikson Zaharias won six times over the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s, the most by a man or woman.
The ultracompetitive Ohtani’s latest win broke a tie with Michael Jordan, who along with Woods, he followed while growing up in Japan.
“Last year, I said I wanted to win this award again, and I will work hard so that I can win it again next year as well,” he said.
Swedish-American pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, who won his third consecutive world title and has set the world record 14 times, including four times in 2025, was second with five votes in balloting announced Tuesday. Carlos Alcaraz, the world’s top-ranked tennis player who won titles at the French and US Opens, was third with four.
Ohtani has shown remarkable consistency since joining the Dodgers on a then-record $700 million, 10-year contract in December 2023. He won his fourth career Most Valuable Player award (second with the Dodgers) by unanimous vote, the first player in major league history to do so.
But he and the Dodgers raised a second straight World Series trophy after outlasting the Blue Jays in the most scintillating Series in recent memory.
Ohtani’s presence has been transformative for MLB’s global reach. Game 7 of this World Series averaged 13.1 million viewers in Japan, the most watched World Series game on a single network there ever, and 51 million watched worldwide to make it the most viewed since Game 7 of the 1991 World Series.
“I think the higher your goals are, the more you have to do, and the more you want to do,” Ohtani said. “If you’re satisfied with where you are now, I don’t think it’s possible to achieve your goals without putting in the effort. So, setting goals high is what I believe is most important.”
The Dodgers carefully managed Ohtani’s return to pitching this year by gradually increasing his workload after rehabbing from elbow surgery in September 2023. His innings were initially capped before he was allowed to make longer starts as he felt better.
“When it comes to feeling nervous, being on the mound definitely makes me more tense,” Ohtani said. “It’s a position where you can single-handedly ruin a game, and at the same time, it’s also a position where you can contribute to a win. So, in my mind, I feel that being a pitcher is truly a special role.”
At 31, Ohtani has undergone three major surgeries: two on his right elbow and another on his left shoulder. Regardless of the physical and mental wear and tear, he plans on remaining a two-way player his entire career.
“Staying healthy and appearing in every game without injury, that’s the smallest goal I have,” Ohtani said.
Ohtani’s American fans enjoy hearing him speak English on the rare occasions that he has done so publicly, including at both World Series celebrations. He understands most of the language, although he uses an interpreter in interviews.
“I think it would be best if I could speak in English, so even if it’s just small steps, I want to keep working at it,” Ohtani said. “Whether it’s with fans or in different situations, being able to speak directly in English might help bridge the gap between us.”
PASADENA, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani is catching up with more legends.
The AP Female Athlete of the Year will be announced Wednesday.
“I think it’s best to keep doing it right up until the moment I retire,” Ohtani said.
Winning a third consecutive World Series championship is among Ohtani’s biggest goals in 2026.
In the meantime, he’ll keep letting his bat and arm speak volumes.