Every MLB Player to Win Back-to-Back MVP Awards

How many players have won back-to-back MVP awards in MLB history?
Ohtani (left) and Cabrera (right) are the last two players to win consecutive MVP awards.
Ohtani (left) and Cabrera (right) are the last two players to win consecutive MVP awards. / Kirthmon F. Dozier via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Shohei Ohtani continues to amaze and etch his name into the history books alongside the very best players to ever step onto a baseball diamond. Ohtani on Thursday night can add to his legend by securing the 2025 National League MVP, which would be his second straight NL MVP and third straight league MVP overall. It's potentially a stunning achievement, but it can be easy for the incredible feat to get lost amongst a whole score of other impressive accomplishments that Ohtani has recently boasted—a three-homer, 10-strikeout performance for the ages, reaching base nine times in World Series Game 3, etc.

But in winning consecutive MVP awards from '23 to '24, Ohtani is already a member of an exclusive club.

Every player who has won back-to-back MVP awards in MLB history

Player

League

Years

Shohei Ohtani

American, National

2023 (AL), ‘24 (NL)

Miguel Cabrera

AL

2012, ’13

Albert Pujols

NL

2008, ’09

Barry Bonds

NL

2001 to ’04

Frank Thomas

AL

1993, ’94

Barry Bonds

NL

1992, ’93

Dale Murphy

NL

1982, ’83

Mike Schmidt

NL

1980, ’81

Joe Morgan

NL

1975, ’76

Roger Maris

AL

1960, ’61

Ernie Banks

NL

1958,’ 59

Mickey Mantle

AL

1956, ’57

Yogi Berra

AL

1954, ’55

Hal Newhouser

AL

1944, ’45

Jimmie Foxx

AL

1932, ’33

How does Ohtani stand out among back-to-back MVP winners?

Well for starters, Ohtani is the only two-way player on this list. That alone is remarkable and puts him in a class completely by himself among players in this prestigious club. But he's also following in the footsteps of a select few on the list as well.

Among the list of back-to-back winners, Ohtani could become the second to win a third straight MVP and fourth MVP overall, joining Bonds, as well as the second to be a member of a back-to-back World Series-winning roster and an MVP in the same season, joining Morgan. Ohtani, who in '24 played his first season with the Dodgers, would become just the second player to win back-to-back MVP awards in his first two seasons with a franchise, joining Maris. Lastly, Ohtani would join Schmidt on the list as the only players to win a regular season MVP and a LCS or World Series MVP in the same season.


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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.