Players Choose Kyle Schwarber Over Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani For Major Award

The National League celebrates after National League designated hitter Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers (17) hit a three run home run during the third inning during the 2024 MLB All-Star game at Globe Life Field on July 16, 2024. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

After the Players Choice Award ballots were distributed by the MLB Players' Association in September, Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani emerged as a finalist for two awards.

Ohtani joined Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh as a Player of the Year finalist, along with New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge. Ohtani was also a finalist for the Outstanding National League Player of the Year award.

More news: Shohei Ohtani Sets Dodgers, MLB Records in World Series Game 3

When winners were revealed Wednesday, Ohtani came up empty-handed.

Raleigh was chosen Player of the Year, while the National League award went to Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies.

The award is not necessarily a precursor to the more prestigious National League MVP award, which has been awarded annually since 1931. The Players Choice awards were launched in 1992.

Even still, it's a surprise to see Ohtani lose any award after a season in which he was healthy enough to play 158 games as a designated hitter, score an MLB-leading 146 runs, compile an MLB-leading 380 total bases, and lead the NL in slugging (.622), OPS (1.104) and OPS+ (179).

As a pitcher, Ohtani went 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 14 starts. He struck out 62 batters and walked only nine in 47 innings.

More news: Longtime Dodgers Scout, Former Pitcher, Dies

Schwarber, for his part, led the National League with 56 home runs and 132 RBIs while setting career highs in OPS (.928), hits (145) and WAR (4.7 via Baseball Reference, 4.9 via FanGraphs).

Schwarber’s 23 homers off left-handed pitching set a major league record for a lefty hitter, surpassing the previous mark shared by Stan Musial and Matt Olson. He registered the second 50-homer season in Phillies history and finished two shy of Ryan Howard’s franchise record of 58 in 2006.

Ohtani hit 55 home runs, extending the franchise record he set in 2024. By WAR, his pitching and hitting added up to three more wins than Schwarber.

One of these men was voted NL Outstanding Player by the @MLBPA electorate https://t.co/aMuxKYVc5p pic.twitter.com/0gRScR8vRw

— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) October 29, 2025

The statistical comparison requires little explanation. By most measures, Ohtani had a better season than Schwarber.

More than the numbers, though, the choice of Ohtani over Schwarber stands in contrast to the superlatives players attach to the two men. Schwarber is universally lauded as a better teammate than a player, whether in a down year or a career year like 2025. Ohtani is regarded by many as the best active player in the game, if not of all time.

"It's Ohtani, he's the GOAT ... He's just the most unreal player any of has ever seen.

I don't think he needs us to wear the shirt, but it's good luck, so." -- Dodgers World Series hero Will Klein pic.twitter.com/Wi0wM9wMe9

— Jamie Mottram (@JamieMottram) October 29, 2025

Perhaps the players' choice of Schwarber was offered as a recognition of his career year — an opportunity to laud a player who had quietly gained the respect of teammates in Chicago, Boston, Washington and Philadelphia over the years.

By WAR at least, this isn't the best season of Ohtani's career in MLB. The reigning National League MVP might also have suffered from "voter fatigue," something that might manifest when the 2025 MVP award winners are revealed by the Baseball Writers' Association of America in November.

To that end, Judge might want to take note of Wednesday's award announcement as well.

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.