Angels News: Shohei Ohtani Speaks Out About the Upcoming AL MVP Race

He's looking to win the award for a second consecutive season.

The American League MVP award is a two-man race.

In one corner, it's the guy who set the American League single-season home run record and fell just short of a triple crown. And in the other corner, it's a guy who ranked among the league's best as a batter — earning a nomination for the Hank Aaron award — and a guy who ranked among the league's best as a pitcher, and is a top candidate to win the AL Cy Young. That guy became the first player in MLB history to qualify among the league leaders as both a hitter and pitcher. 

You can't really go wrong with Aaron Judge of the Yankees or Shohei Ohtani of the Angels, but only one of them can win.

Ohtani was asked about the potential of winning the award for a second consecutive season.

“I’m just happy to be considered as a candidate,” Ohtani said.

That's the attitude that Ohtani seems to have in just about everything. He's always just happy to be where he's at, which is one of the many reasons Angel fans have fallen in love with him as a player and person.

For those wondering about when we'll find out the results of the vote, the Baseball Writers' Association of America announced that the MVP will be announced on November 17.

Award announcement schedule:

Nov. 14: Rookies of the Year
Nov. 15: Managers of the Year
Nov. 16: Cy Young Awards
Nov. 17: MVP Awards

The finalists for all awards will be announced Nov. 7.

— BBWAA (@officialBBWAA) October 17, 2022

So it'll be a long month until we know whether or not Ohtani is the MVP. But if he wins the award, he'll be the first player since Miguel Cabrera in 2012 and 2013 to go back-to-back.