In 1993, he won the Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes players who display sportsmanship, community service and on-field ability. In 1995, Larkin finished sixth in batting (.319) and second in stolen bases (51) to win the National League's MVP award, the first by a shortstop since Maury Wills in 1962. He led the Reds to a central division title and the 1995 National League Championship Series, where he batted .389 during the series loss to the eventual champion Atlanta Braves. In 1996, Larkin hit a career-high 33 home runs and stole 36 bases, becoming the first shortstop in Major League history to join the 30–30 club. He arguably had a better season in 1996 than he had in his MVP year of 1995, as his on-base percentage and slugging percentage were both improved.