The Edgar Martínez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, commonly referred to as the Edgar Martínez Award and originally known as the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, has been presented annually to the most outstanding designated hitter (DH) in Major League Baseball (MLB) since 1973. The award is voted on by club beat reporters, broadcasters, and public relations departments. The Associated Press discontinued the award in 2000, but it was picked up by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, which has administered it since. All players with a minimum of 100 at bats at DH are eligible. From the award's inception in 1973 until 2019, and in 2021, use of the designated hitter was allowed only in the American League (AL).
In September 2004, at Safeco Field (now T-Mobile Park) ceremonies in honor of Edgar Martínez, Commissioner Bud Selig announced that the award would be renamed for the five-time recipient (1995, 1997–98, 2000–01). In an 18-year career with the Seattle Mariners, primarily as a designated hitter, Martínez batted .312, with 309 career home runs and 1,261 runs batted in.
In 2020, MLB allowed the use of the designated hitter for the National League (NL) in addition to the AL, expanding eligibility for the award to designated hitters in either league. The 2020 winner was Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves, who became the first-ever winner of the award from the NL. In 2021, MLB returned to only using the designated hitter for the AL, before a new collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the players' union allowed the use of the designated hitter in the NL beginning in the 2022 season.
In 2021, Shohei Ohtani became the first player to win both the Edgar Martínez Award and the AL MVP award in the same season. He accomplished this feat again after the 2023 season. In 2024, Ohtani became the second player to win the award from the NL and the only player to win the award in both leagues.
Key YearThe MLB season the award was givenPlayer Denotes winning player and number of times they had won the award at that point (if more than one)TeamThe designated hitter's teamElected to the Baseball Hall of Fame*Denotes player who is still activeBAbatting averageHRHome runsRBIRuns batted inItalicsIndicates player led the AL in that categoryItalicsIndicates player led the NL in that category
List of winners
YearPlayerTeamBAHRRBIRefBoston Red Sox.2892086Baltimore Orioles.2891184Detroit Tigers.2752592Kansas City Royals.332873Boston Red Sox.32039114Detroit Tigers.27324121 Seattle Mariners.27929106 Kansas City Royals.2971483Chicago White Sox.2652162 Kansas City Royals.30827133 Chicago White Sox.2553295Oakland Athletics.26835118New York Yankees.2312391 Boston Red Sox.2383194Chicago White Sox.2932093 Chicago White Sox.2771381Oakland Athletics.2642297 Milwaukee Brewers.2892192Minnesota Twins.2772993Toronto Blue Jays.29026108Toronto Blue Jays.33222111Seattle Mariners.35629113 Minnesota Twins.3419113 Seattle Mariners.33028108 Seattle Mariners.32229102Texas Rangers.32447148 Seattle Mariners.32437145 Seattle Mariners.30623116Cleveland Indians.3013291Boston Red Sox.28831101 Boston Red Sox.30141139 Boston Red Sox.30047148 Boston Red Sox.28754137 Boston Red Sox.33235117Baltimore Orioles.30432108Toronto Blue Jays.30535114Texas Rangers.30029115 Boston Red Sox.3092996Kansas City Royals.31329107 Boston Red Sox.30930103Detroit Tigers.33532103Kansas City Royals.29521104 Boston Red Sox.31738127Seattle Mariners.28839119Oakland Athletics.24748123 Minnesota Twins.31141108*Atlanta Braves.3381856*Los Angeles Angels.25746100* Los Angeles Angels.2733495* Los Angeles Angels.3044495* Los Angeles Dodgers.31054130* Los Angeles Dodgers.28255102
Multiple-time winners Ten players have won the award multiple times. David Ortiz has won the award eight times (2003–2007, 2011, 2013, 2016), more than any other player. Other repeat winners of the award include Martinez himself (five times), five-time winner Shohei Ohtani (2021–2025), three-time winner Hal McRae (1976, 1980, and 1982), and two-time winners Willie Horton (1975 and 1979), Greg Luzinski (1981 and 1983), Don Baylor (1985 and 1986), Harold Baines (1987 and 1988), Dave Parker (1989 and 1990), Paul Molitor (1993 and 1996), and Nelson Cruz (2017 and 2019). Ohtani has the most wins of any active player. Boston Red Sox players have won the most Edgar Martínez Awards with 11.
Player# of AwardsYears 8 2003–2007, 2011, 2013, 2016 5 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001 * 2021–2025 3 1976, 1980, 1982 2 1975, 1979 1981, 1983 1978, 1988 1989, 1990 1993, 1996 2017, 2019
See also
List of Silver Slugger Award winners at designated hitter List of Major League Baseball awards
References In-line citations