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Angels’ Shohei Ohtani named unanimous 2021 AL MVP

By Max Molski

Shohei Ohtani named unanimous AL MVP originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

Shohei Ohtani is a lot of things.

He’s a global superstar. He’s a pitcher who was good enough to start for the American League in the 2021 MLB All-Star Game. Oh, and he’s one of the most prolific power hitters in baseball.

Now, he’s an MVP.

Ohtani was named the unanimous winner of the 2021 AL MVP award on Thursday, besting Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Marcus Semien.

Ohtani received all 30 first-place votes and 420 total points. Guerrero Jr. came in second after getting 29 second-place votes and 269 points. Semien had 24 third-place votes and 232 points for a third-place finish. New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (171 points) and Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa (163 points) rounded out the top five.

Here’s a look at the full voting results:

Ohtani is the first unanimous AL MVP since teammate Mike Trout in 2014 and the second Angel to win AL MVP over the last three seasons. Trout took home the honor in 2019, along with 2014 and 2016. The Angels finished just 77-85 this season as Trout suffered a season-ending calf strain in May.

Trout shared a congratulatory message for Ohtani on Twitter following the MVP win:

Even though the Angels ended the year with a disappointing record, Ohtani’s awe-inspiring 2021 season is difficult to even comprehend. He was third in all of baseball with 46 home runs, trailing just Guerrero and Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez. He also led the Angels in RBIs, doubles, triples, slugging percentage and stolen bases. And those are just his offensive numbers.

The Japanese sensation posted a 3.18 ERA in 23 starts on the mound to go along with 156 strikeouts. He was the Angels’ leader in wins, ERA, strikeouts, innings pitched and WHIP.

Guerrero may have finished second in the MVP race, but his career is off to a sensational start. The 22-year-old led the AL in on-base percentage and slugging to go along with his 48 home runs. He also took home All-Star Game MVP honors and is on his way to plenty more appearances in the Midsummer Classic.

In the same infield, Semien also put up an eye-popping season for the Blue Jays. The second baseman obliterated his career high for homers in a season with 45 and did not miss a single game across the 162-game season. He played the 2021 campaign on a one-year contract and is in line to earn himself a hefty payday this offseason.

In the National League, Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper won his second-career MVP award, beating out Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto and San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.

Mike Rizzo on why Nationals are cautious expediting prospects through Minors

By Ethan Cadeaux
Rizzo on why Nats are cautious expediting prospects through Minors originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonIt's no secret that the 2022 season has been a rebuilding year for the Nationals. The team entered the season expected to finish last in the NL East following last summer's firesale at the trade deadline, and despite some bright spots, Washington has largely lived down to its expectations.For many rebuilding teams, a major goal is player development of its younger players. The same can be true for the Nationals, as guys like Keibert Ruiz, Josiah Gray, and Luis Garcia -- all players expected to be a big part of the team's future -- are, for the most part, going through their first full Big League season.But Washington has also trotted out several veterans this season, players that likely won't be on the roster when the team is competitive again. Fans would much rather see the team's top prospects compete at the Big League level, but general manager Mike Rizzo has specific criteria he follows before calling them up to the Majors."We bring players to the Big Leagues when they are Big League ready," Rizzo said on the Sports Junkies. "There's a developmental curve that belongs here. We want to make sure these young, good prospects are ready to pitch in the Big Leagues and that once they get here, they're here to stay."Are they ready to compete at the Big League level?" Rizzo continued. "Are they fully prepared physically, emotionally, stuff-wise for the grind of the Major League season? That's the only criteria we use to bring up a player, whether it's a pitcher or a position player."The most recent example can be seen in Washington's starting rotation. Aníbal Sánchez, who turned 38 in February, is set to make his season debut on the mound Thursday. Meanwhile, Cade Cavalli -- the Nationals' top prospect -- remains in Triple-A Rochester despite having arguably his best month at the level.Earlier this season, Washington trotted out 35-year-old shortstop Alcides Escobar, who served as the Nationals' everyday starter at the position. Meanwhile, Garcia was raking in Triple-A but was not called back up to the Big Leagues until June following an injury to Escobar. Garcia has served as the Nationals' primary shortstop since.Despite the 2022 season being a "retool," Rizzo's rationale for playing veterans like Escobar and Sánchez has to do with the ultimate goal of winning baseball games."There's no level beyond the Big Leagues. This is it," Rizzo said. "The greatest 780 players in the world are playing here every night. It's a league that's extremely competitive. There's no working on changeups up here or 'I got to work on my delivery.' You're here to win baseball games."The Nationals' general manager made it clear that when the team calls a top prospect up to the Majors, the goal is for them to remain there. It's why Washington has been so careful in choosing when to promote its top players in the farm system.Sitting in the basement of the NL East, it's hard to imagine the Nationals are back competing for a playoff berth in 2023 or even 2024. Yet, Rizzo maintains the franchise is going through a retool rather than a rebuild."This is a reboot year," he said. "We don't call it a rebuild because a rebuild is a five or six-year process. I think this is a shorter reboot. We've shown in the past that we know how to do these things.
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