Nominees for the 2026 ESPY Awards include Shohei Ohtani in three categories and the Los Angeles Dodgers up for consideration under the Best Team, which encompasses championship winners across the major sports leagues and college athletics.
For Ohtani it marks a sixth consecutive nomination for best MLB player, an award he has won the previous five years. Last season, Ohtani won best player after hitting .282/.392/.622 with 25 doubles, nine triples, 55 home runs, 122 RBI and a 172 wRC+.
He also returned to the mound for the first time since 2023, throwing 47 innings with a 2.87 ERA while helping lead the Dodgers to a second consecutive World Series title.
Other 2026 ESPY nominees for best player in baseball are Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees, Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, and Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Ohtani is also in the running for Best Athlete in the Men’s Sports category. He was a finalist for the award in 2024 and 2025 as well.
Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took home the honor last season, while Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes won it the year before.
In 2026, Ohtani is competing against Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF, and Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams.
The final award Ohtani is in consideration for at the 2026 ESPYS is the Best Single Game Performance category. It is of course in recognition of the two-way superstar’s legendary performance against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series last October.
Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game for the Miami Heat should be the only legitimate challenger. However, Ohtani’s six scoreless innings, 10 strikeouts and three home runs presents a compelling argument. Additionally, it occurred during a playoff win that sent the Dodgers to the World Series for a second consecutive year.
In comparison, Adebayo’s performance occurred during the regular season against the Washington Wizards, who finished with the NBA’s worst record. Furthermore, the Heat were intentionally fouling in order to get more scoring opportunities for Adebayo despite the game being well in hand.
How to watch The ESPYS 2026
The 2026 ESPYS Awards show is scheduled to air Wednesday, July 15, 2026, live from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City. “Saturday Night Live” comedian Marcello Hernández is hosting the ESPYS for the first time.
The event will broadcast at 5 p.m. PT on ABC and will be available to stream on demand the next day on Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+.
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