Ohtani also won the honor from 2021-23 with the Angels.

Ohtani’s four Martinez awards are one shy of Edgar Martínez himself, who won five such honors when it was simply called the Designated Hitter of the Year before the award was renamed after 2004. David Ortiz has won the most Martínez awards with eight.

Ortiz is the only other designated hitter to win the award in at least four consecutive years. He took home the honor in five straight years from 2003-07.

Aaron Judge started 41 times as designated hitter but his primary position was in the outfield. Same for National League batting average leader Luis Arráez, who was DH 41 times but started in the infield 100 games. But in terms of primary DHs, Ohtani led in nearly every category:

• Home runs: 54, 15 more than Marcell Ozuna and Brent Rooker
• Stolen bases: 59, 48 more than Rooker
• Runs scored: 134, 24 more than Kyle Schwarber
• Runs batted in: 130, 18 more than Rooker
• Hits: 197, 14 more than Ozuna
• Doubles: 36, two more than Jorge Soler and Yordan Alvarez
• Triples: 7, five more than Alvarez and Rooker
• Total bases: 411, 80 more than Ozuna
• Extra-base hits: 99, 28 more than Alvarez
• Batting average: .310, two points higher than Alvarez
• Slugging percentage: .646, 79 points higher than Alvarez
• OPS: 1.036, 77 points higher than Alvarez
• OPS+: 190, 18 points higher than Alvarez
• wRC+: 181, 13 points higher than Alvarez
• fWAR: 9.1; Alvarez second at 5.3
• rWAR: 9.2; Rooker second at 5.3

Ohtani led all major league hitters in runs scored, total bases, and extra-base hits. The only main category he didn’t top the designated hitter group was on-base percentage, with Alvarez and his .392 OBP edging out Ohtani at .390.