MVP Showdown: Aaron Judge vs. Shohei Ohtani
MLB season is once again nearing its end, and of course, the most heated debate is who will be 2022’s MVP? This season there are two talented and outstanding candidates: Shohei Ohtani from the Los Angeles Angels and Aaron Judge from the New York Yankees. Both athletes have played phenomenally this season and shattered an insane number of records; however, there can only be one MVP… Let’s weigh who has the upper hand in winning the title.
Starting off with Aaron Judge, he has continually been labelled with “best season performance” and “rising star of the MLB.” His stats are clearly no joke: 90 extra-base hits, 16 stolen bases, and 62 home runs; breaking the American League all-time, single-season home run record set by Roger Maris in 1961, and giving him the title of AL home run champion for 2022. His 62nd home run ball, caught by a fan, is currently valued at $2 million at a sports memorabilia auction house.
Right fielder Judge also has a very strong throwing arm and ranks first in the OPS (on-base plus slugging), wRC (weighted runs created plus) and WAR (wins above replacement) categories. In large part because of him, the Yankees clinched their first-place standing in the AL East. Judge has achieved so much in so little time, it’s no wonder there’s a huge chorus cheering for him to be MVP this year. At the age of 30, Aaron Judge is already making a huge mark in MLB history.
Moving on to Shohei Ohtani, the Angels pitcher recently (by recently, I mean the end of September) signed a one-year contract extension with Los Angeles for a record $30 million. He was the MVP for 2021 and, despite already receiving the title, continues to set records on and off the field. His 2023 contract salary is the highest ever for an arbitration-eligible player, showing what he’s worth to the Angels and to the entirety of the MLB. This year his pitching side has drastically improved with a 15-8 win-loss ratio, 2.35 ERA (earned run average), and 11.9 strikeouts per 9 innings played.
As a designated hitter, he has 34 home runs, 94 runs batted in, and 11 stolen bases. Many say even if he doesn’t receive the MVP title again, he would very likely win the AL’s Cy Young Award, something he has yet to receive. Ohtani’s effort helped the Angels reach third place in the AL West Standings, and he is the first player this season to qualify as a hitter and a pitcher. His versatility weighs in his favour for the title of MVP.
Looking at the statistics and achievements of both players, you can see why they are the only serious candidates for MVP. What’s your call? Who do you think will be MVP of the 2022 MLB Season? Shohei Ohtani, the previous MVP of 2021, or Aaron Judge, the record-breaking Yankee?
Sources:
https://www.si.com/mlb/2022/10/05/shohei-ohtani-first-player-qualify-as-hitter-pitcher-same-season