The MVP Traveller : Rare players Who Won An Award in Two Leagues

Later on Thursday, Shohei Ohtani will undoubtedly be named the National League MVP, with the only question whether the Dodgers superstar will win unanimously.

When Ohtani wins, he’ll join Frank Robinson is the only players to win an MVP award in both leagues. Ohtani won the American League MVP in 2021 and 2023 with the Angels. Robinson won NL MVP in 1961 with the Reds, and then won AL MVP with the Orioles in 1966.

Robinson did not have the benefit of free agency in his playing career, so his move from Cincinnati to Baltimore came via trade. Robinson with the Orioles led the league in home runs, RBI, runs scored, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, total bases, OPS+, and WAR, just like Ohtani did this year with the Dodgers.

Robinson won the triple crown in 1966 with the Orioles, leading the AL with a .316 batting average. Ohtani almost got there with a finishing flourish, with an absurd 27 hits in his final 43 at-bats (.628) in September. He flirted with a batting title in the season’s final weekend, but ended up with a .310 batting average, finishing second to perennial batting title winner Luis Arráez at .314.

Robinson won the World Series in his first year with his new team, just like Ohtani this year with the Dodgers. If you want to extrapolate this connection further, Robinson with the Orioles reached three more World Series in the next five years, and won another title.

An Ohtani win would give him three career MVP awards. Only 11 others in MLB history have done that — it’s 10 players with three MVPs and Barry Bonds the outlier with seven MVP awards.

Not only is winning the MVP in both leagues ultra-rare, but winning an MVP with different teams happens less often than you might think. Only seven players have won MVPs on more than one team:

Bonds (3 MVPs with Pirates, 4 with Giants)

Jimmie Foxx (2 with A’s, 1 with Red Sox)

Alex Rodríguez (1 with Rangers, 2 with Yankees)

Rogers Hornsby (Cardinals. Cubs)

Mickey Cochrane (A’s, Tigers)

Bryce Harper (Nationals, Phillies)

Robinson (Reds, Orioles)

An Ohtani NL MVP win would put him in select company in more ways than one. But he’s used to being in rarified air.