NEW YORK.– Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani once again stole the spotlight by winning two of the top awards at the 2026 ESPYS Awards ceremony, while Major League Baseball (MLB) officially announced the 2027 regular season schedule.
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Ohtani was recognized as MLB Best Player and received the award for Best Performance in a Game, thanks to his historic display in Game 4 of the 2025 National League Championship Series.
In that encounter, the Dodgers star shone both from the mound and with the bat. He pitched six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts and, in addition, hit three home runs, becoming the Most Valuable Player of the series that led Los Angeles to capture the Old Circuit pennant.
His performance broke several postseason records, including being the first pitcher to hit a leadoff home run in the playoffs and the first to hit multiple home runs in a single postseason game.
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The ceremony also recognized former pitcher Jim Abbott, who received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance for his inspiring career in professional baseball despite having been born without a right hand.
MLB announces 2027 schedule
In another important announcement, Major League Baseball confirmed that the 2027 regular season will begin on March 24 with an opening game that will be broadcast on Netflix.
The traditional Opening Day will be celebrated on March 25, with 14 games scheduled, becoming the earliest Opening Day in Major League history, excluding international series.
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The 2027 All-Star Game will be played on July 13 at the historic Wrigley Field in Chicago, a venue that will host the Midsummer Classic for the fourth time. One day earlier, the Home Run Derby will be broadcast exclusively on Netflix.
The second half of the campaign will kick off on July 15, while the regular season will conclude on September 26, giving way to a new race for the postseason.
