But a month and a half after they wrapped up a third straight losing campaign and bid farewell to longtime manager Mike Scioscia, the Angels and Ohtani learned Monday the risks they took introducing Major League Baseball to its first two-way player in close to a century were worthwhile. Ohtani was named the American League Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Assn. of America. He received 25 of 30 first-place votes, edging the New York Yankees' Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres.
The award capped a historic season for the 24-year-old, who had the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow repaired in October.