Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are the two best hitters of the modern age. These two names are the modern-day faces of the MLB. Clearly, they are unique in their own way. But they have been fierce rivals in the last few years while competing for the American League Most Valued Player award. The Japanese superstar won the AL MVP twice (in 2021 and in 2023). On the other hand, the captain of the New York Yankees won the AL MVP in 2022. However, in 2024, the two-way superstar won’t be able to compete for the American League MVP award. After all, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for an epic $700 million deal over ten years.
Hence, Aaron Judge might have an easier way to win the American League MVP this year. But his teammate and partner in baseball crime, Juan Soto, might not make it that easy for Judge to win it this year. Moreover, from a Yankees Faithful’s point of view, even Judge would not want Soto to make it easy for him. The Judge-Soto duo would love to win the World Series for the Bronx Bombers. At present, both the Yankees superstars are leading the AL MVP polls. On the other hand, the very familiar face in Los Angeles, Shohei Ohtani, is a clear favourite to win the National League MVP this year.
Aaron Judge & Shohei Ohtani Are Again Favorites To Win The MVP Award
According to MLB.com, some of the unstoppable hitters are leading the latest MVP polls. It is a long season, and every month, there can be new leaders who emerge as favourites to win the MVP title. There are always ebbs and flows for the MVP race, and candidates have to overcome many hurdles, such as injuries, to stay on top. For instance, after the first month of the 2024 season, Juan Soto was a clear favourite to win AL MVP. But then he missed the Dodgers series, and his teammate cum captain took his place as top contender. At present, as per the latest MLB.com polls, Aaron Judge has 38 first-place votes. He had a slow start in April, and then he turned things around in May. Behind Judge, Juan Soto has four first-place votes for the AL MVP at the moment.
Then, coming to NL, Shohei Ohtani leads the poll with 25 first-place votes. This year, the two-way superstar won’t pitch because of major elbow surgery. Even then, he is a clear favourite to win the NL MVP this year. If he does win, it will be his third MVP title. Following Ohtani in the National League, there comes Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies with nine first-place votes as per MLB.com. Behind Harper, there is Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves with six first-place votes. Clearly, at the moment in the two different leagues, Judge and Ohtani are way ahead of the rest.
Yankees Captain Enjoying An Epic 40-Game Hot Streak
When the current season started, the 2022 AL MVP scared the Yankees Nation a bit because of his early season slump. However, since May 3, Aaron Judge is enjoying a 1.439 OPS. There were even times when the home crowd was booing Judge. But he stayed cool and let his bat do all the talking. April saw him go through a cold streak. But since May, he has been hot, and his streak just keeps getting hotter. Since May 3, the California native has slashed .387/.503/.937. In Just six weeks, the Yankees captain has been worth nearly 5 WAR.
Aaron Boone, the manager, says, “I don’t want to take it for granted, but it has been really fun to watch what Judgy has been doing every night. It’s really special.” In the last 40-game run, Aaron Judge has stepped into history with one of the best streaks ever. On his 177 plate appearances, he has a .503 OBP and got an extra 37 base hits. Moreover, in terms of wOBA, Aaron Judge has .581. Legends like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Barry Bonds, and so on are on the list of hottest streaks where Judge can find himself, too.
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