Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani have been superstars ever since they graced the baseball field. Everybody started talking about them really early in their careers. Now, they are among the two very big superstars in baseball’s history. In 2022, the New York Yankees captain broke the American League home run record in the regular season. He hit 62 homers in 2022. As a result, Judge was able to break the MVP streak of the Japanese sensation. While representing the Los Angeles Angels, the Unicorn was able to win two American League Most Valuable Player awards.
Shohei Ohtani could have won three MVPs in a row if it was not for Aaron Judge’s 62 home runs in 2022. The two-way player won his first MVP in 2021, and then he won it again last year. After the previous season, this winter, the Japanese sensation signed with another Los Angeles franchise, the Dodgers, for an epic 10-year deal worth $700 million. Hence, Shohei Ohtani moved to the National League. Now, Aaron Judge has a far better chance to claim another MVP award in the American League. But the fans might wonder if these two superstars are eligible for Hall of Fame induction.
Aaron Judge Is On His Way To The Hall Of Fame
Recently, Adrian Beltre got more than 95% of the votes for his National Baseball Hall Of Fame induction. Beltre’s induction proves that it is not easy to see a Hall of Famer coming. Albeit, Beltre is one of the First-Ballot names. But to be a Hall of Famer, a player must play a minimum of ten seasons. Shohei Ohtani won’t be eligible until he plays one major league game in 2027. Moreover, the Baseball Writers Association of America chooses Hall of Famers who are not First-Ballot names 57% of the time. But there can be one measurement that can help determine who may go on that Hall of Fame road from the current lot. A doppelganger who has been a Hall of Famer or close to be that in the past.
Aaron Judge plays like Ralph Kiner. The current Yankees captain’s doppelganger played 835 games when he was just 28. Kiner finished his career at 32. But Aaron Judge, as per his Yankees contract, will play through when he turns 39. Kiner hit 369 career home runs as he needed 15 ballots for his election. But Aaron Judge should blow past those numbers. This measurement proves that the Yankees captain is already on his way to the Hall. After their first 835 games, Aaron Judge slugged 257 home runs, and Kiner hit 238.
How Close Is Shohei Ohtani To The Hall In Cooperstown?
Shohei Ohtani hits like the First Hall of Fame hitter, Frank Robinson. Moreover, he pitches like the first-ballot Hall of Famer Jim Palmer. At this stage, the Unicorn has more home runs than Robinson. On the other hand, he has virtually the same number of starts as Jim Palmer. This era of baseball sees strikeouts as far more prevalent than they were during Palmer’s era in the 1960s.
Not many pitchers in the sport’s history struck out more hitters in their first 86 games than Shohei Ohtani. Moreover, not many batters hit more homers than the two-way player in their first 701 games. Clearly, the Japanese sensation is moving towards the Hall of Fame highway at a double pace compared to anyone else.
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