Shohei Ohtani wins Best Single-Game Performance at the ESPYs, taking home two awards

Shohei Ohtani did not need a fresh highlight reel to remind voters why he is viewed as baseball’s most singular offensive force. The Los Angeles Dodgers star won the ESPY for Best Single-Game Performance after a postseason showing that continues to resonate well into the next season, taking home not just one but two ESPYs during Wednesday night’s awards show.

The MLB release credited Ohtani’s performance in Game 4 of the 2025 National League Championship Series as the basis for the Best Single-Game Performance selection. That game, nine months after it was played, remained the kind of moment that voters still wanted to honor publicly, reflecting both the magnitude of the stage and the way Ohtani’s production carried in a high-leverage series.

In the same recognition package, Ohtani was noted as the recipient of his fourth MVP Award in 2025. That context matters because it frames this ESPY haul as more than a one-off accolade. Voters have not only rewarded Ohtani’s ability to deliver in big spots, they have also continued to reinforce his standing as the game’s most consistent elite talent over a broader stretch.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, are getting a measure of validation that extends beyond the final totals of a single postseason run. When a player’s best nights become national, multi-sport conversations, it strengthens the narrative around the franchise’s star power and its recent postseason relevance. Ohtani’s ability to draw attention to the sport in a non-baseball forum also indicates the continued mainstream reach of MLB’s top performers.

Ohtani’s second ESPY is described by MLB as an additional award he received during the ceremony, but the specific category was not included in the portion of the release available for review here. As a result, readers should treat the exact label of his second trophy as something to confirm from the full ESPYs recap or the complete MLB write-up.

Looking ahead, the bigger picture is how this kind of recognition tends to shape expectations for the next season. When a player’s postseason game is chosen as the best single performance across sports, it raises the spotlight that follows him into regular-season storylines, fan conversations, and awards discussions. For the Dodgers, it is another reminder that their championship aspirations are built around an MVP-caliber player who can still dominate when the stakes rise.

For baseball fans, the question going forward is simple: will Ohtani find another postseason moment that can match the lingering impact of that Game 4, or will the award season simply underline the lasting reach of his earlier work? Either way, Wednesday’s ceremony added a new layer to his postseason legacy, while keeping the NLCS highlight at the center of the conversation.