Ohtani wins Baseball Digest player of year; Scherzer top arm

NEW YORK (AP) — Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels has been selected major league player of the year by Baseball Digest and eBay. Max Scherzer was voted pitcher of the year and Josh Hader was picked as the top reliever in awards announced Thursday. Ohtani received 16 first-place votes in balloting by a 19-member panel of baseball writers and broadcasters. At the plate, Ohtani hit 46 home runs — third-most in the majors — and had 100 RBIs while compiling a .965 OPS that ranked fifth. On the mound, the right-hander from Japan went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 23 starts. It was a two-way performance unmatched in baseball annals, even by Babe Ruth.