NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is a finalist for his first National League MVP award after winning the AL honor twice, joining the top three in voting in NL by New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte. .

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is a finalist for his second American League MVP in three seasons, joined by Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto.

Ohtani was unanimously voted AL MVP in 2021 And 2023 as a two-way star for the Los Angeles Angels and finished second to Judge in 2022 vote. He did not pitch in 2024 following elbow surgery and signed a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers.

Ohtani would join Frank Robinson for Cincinnati in 1961 and Baltimore in 1966 as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues.

Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes is a finalist in the balloting for the NL Cy Young Award and NL Rookie of the Year. The 22-year-old right-hander becomes the fifth rookie to finish in the top three in Cy Young Award voting, following Mark Fidrych (1976), Fernando Valenzuela (1981), Dwight Gooden (1984) and José Fernández (2013). The only one to win both in the same year was Valenzuela in the National League.

Ohtani hit .310, stole 59 bases, and led the NL with 54 home runs and 130 RBIs exclusively as a designated hitter, becoming the first player with 50 or more home runs and 50 or more stolen bases in a season . He helped the Dodgers to World Series titleplaying the last three matches with a torn labrum in left shoulder.

Ohtani would become the first primary DH to win the MVP award.

The top three finalists in voting for each of the major individual awards presented each year by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America were announced Monday evening on MLB Network. The winners will be revealed next week.

Voting takes place before the playoffs.

Ohtani would become the 12th player with three or more MVPs, joining Barry Bonds (seven) and Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout (three). . each).

Lindor hit .273 with 33 home runs, 91 RBIs and 29 steals, while Marte hit .292 with 36 home runs and 95 RBIs.

Judge led the major leagues with 58 home runs, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Witt led the major leagues with a .332 average, hitting 32 home runs with 109 RBIs. Soto hit .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs.

Atlanta’s Chris Sale and Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler are finalists for the NL Cy Young Award along with Skenes, who made his big league debut on May 11 and went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts, striking out 170 in 133 innings.

Detroit’s Tarik Skubal, Kansas City’s Seth Lugo and Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase are the finalists for the AL honor. Clase becomes the first reliever to finish in the top three in the voting since San Diego’s Trevor Hoffman came in second in the 2006 NL ballot.

Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio joined Skenes as finalists for NL Rookie of the Year honors. Yankees right-hander Luis Gil and catcher Austin Wells are AL finalists along with Baltimore outfielder Colton Cowser.

Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt, Kansas City’s Matt Quatraro and Detroit’s AJ Hinch are finalists for AL Manager of the Year. The three National League finalists were all first-year managers with their teams: Carlos Mendoza of the Mets, Pat Murphy of Milwaukee and Mike Shildt of San Diego.

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