BBWAA Hosts Annual Dinner; Shohei Ohtani Attends to Receive NL MVP and Delivers Speech in English

The New York branch of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) conducted its yearly banquet today, following tradition by awarding personal honors. Shohei Ohtani was present again to receive the 2025 National League MVP award and delivered a roughly two-and-a-half-minute speech in English, thanking all those who have supported him throughout his journey.

This marks Ohtani’s third attendance at the BBWAA dinner. Today, he wore a fully tailored suit, while his wife, Mamiko, attended in a black dress featuring an off-shoulder design. Ohtani gave his acceptance remarks entirely in English, beginning with: “Thank you once again to the BBWAA for hosting this wonderful event. Congratulations on your 101st successful dinner. I am grateful to all the journalists who voted for me. The MVP is a very significant award, and receiving it means a lot to me. I deeply appreciate the recognition from the media for my efforts to win the National League MVP.”

“Congratulations to the other award winners and on your achievements,” Ohtani continued. “Especially to the 1986 Mets championship team — now I finally understand what it feels like to be a world champion, and it’s an incredible feeling. Happy 40th anniversary of your championship.”

Ohtani also expressed thanks to his team and teammates: “I appreciate the Dodgers organization for trusting me and supporting my vision. Thanks to team owner Mark Walter and other shareholders, as well as the entire front office, particularly baseball operations president Andrew Friedman and chief marketing officer Lon Rosen. I’m grateful to my teammates and coaching staff for their encouragement and help throughout the year. I also want to acknowledge all the Dodgers’ behind-the-scenes staff, especially Ali Garcia who is here today — thank you all. I must also thank my support team, starting with my agent Nez Balelo. Thank you for your dedication. Thanks to CAA, especially Matt Hidaka, for their support.”

Finally, Ohtani gave special thanks to his family: “Lastly, I want to thank my family in Japan, and most importantly — my beloved wife Mamiko, my daughter, and Decoy. They complete my life. Thank you all for always being by my side.”