There were actually three unanimous MVPs awarded on Thursday night. One of them just happened to be for Most Valuable Pupper.
Shohei Ohtani added to his trophy case by taking home the AL award for the second time in his career, but the furry friend seated beside him while he heard the announcement easily stole the show.
Ohtani gave his adorable pup treats and plenty of head scratches while fielding questions about yet another unprecedented season, which landed him an award that was no real head-scratcher for the BBWAA voters. He received 30 first-place votes — as did his NL counterpart, Ronald Acuña Jr. — making Ohtani the first player in MLB history to win a unanimous MVP twice.
This will be our 2023 holiday card. 🐶 pic.twitter.com/XRYcKdVqzX
— MLB (@MLB) November 17, 2023
After Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson announced the two-way unicorn as the winner, Ohtani gave his dog a heartfelt high five. We’re guessing this canine is blissfully unaware of its owner’s 11.4 K/9 in 2023. And whether or not it takes after Ohtani as a two-way pup who can both catch and go fetch a tennis ball has yet to be determined, but one thing’s for sure. On Thursday night, this dog was Best in Sho.
