Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani gave the Los Angeles Dodgers two forms of elite production in 2025. As their designated hitter, he struck 55 home runs, recorded a 1.014 on-base-plus-slugging percentage and set a club single-season home-run record. As a starting pitcher returning from elbow rehabilitation, he made 14 starts, worked 47 innings, struck out 62 batters and posted a 2.87 earned-run average.

The combination restored the full competitive meaning of his two-way role: opponents had to prepare for his bat throughout the schedule and for his pitching when his turn arrived. Ohtani then carried both responsibilities into the postseason as Los Angeles retained the World Series. Born in Iwate and developed in Japanese baseball before entering Major League Baseball, he now works from Los Angeles at the highest level of the professional game. His current responsibility is unusually broad but precisely defined. The Dodgers ask one player to deliver middle-of-the-order power while also managing the preparation, recovery and execution required of a starting pitcher. The significance extends beyond one club because contemporary roster construction normally separates those jobs. Ohtani's season made their combination measurable across a full campaign rather than treating two-way play as novelty or historical reference. The unanimous 2025 National League Most Valuable Player award recognised a record already visible in completed results: a career high at the plate, a successful return to the mound and an attributable contribution to a championship season.