In 2024, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani are performing at their finest level. Albeit the two-way superstar is not able to pitch this year, he is taking the National League by storm. Last offseason, the Unicorn signed a record-breaking contract for a free agent in North American Sports. When the Japanese sensation used to play for the Los Angeles Angels, he used to dominate the American League. Albeit, in the AL, he had his biggest rival in the New York Yankees captain. Despite the fierce rivalry with Aaron Judge, Ohtani managed to win two AL MVP awards in three years.
This year, he is on his way to win the National League MVP title in his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Clearly, signing the Unicorn for the massive ten-year contract worth $700 million is paying dividends in its first season itself for the LA side. However, let’s not forget about the epic season Aaron Judge is enjoying in 2024. The Yankees superstar is on his way to win his second AL MVP in three years. That makes it difficult to say who’s having a better season between Ohtani and Judge.
The Dodgers Legend Settles The Debate Between Aaron Judge And Shohei Ohtani
In 2024, Aaron Judge is on his way to hitting over 63 home runs in the regular season, surpassing his own 2022 record of 62 single-season homers. Moreover, the 2022 AL MVP is leading the league in several offensive categories, including HRs, RBIs, and OPS. He is also in second place for the best batting average in the league. On the other hand, the 2021 and 2023 AL MVP is on his way to the first ever 50-50 season in MLB. Shohei Ohtani is on good pace to hit over 50 home runs and post over 50 stolen bases. Despite not being able to pitch, the Unicorn is giving the Dodgers his money’s worth. Naturally, he is the favorite to win the NL MVP this year. Lately, the cornerstone of the Dodger’s offense and an eight-time All-Star, Mookie Betts, settled the debate around who’s having a better season – his teammate or the Yankees captain.
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During the ‘On Base – B/R Walk-Off’ podcast, Betts mentioned that one doesn’t have to be better than the other. Moreover, the eight-time All-Star added, “When someone asks me about Ohtani’s and Judge’s seasons, I say, we should all appreciate greatness because who knows if we will ever see anything like that again.” But it’s hard to convince fans not to compare two modern-day greats. Perhaps a good answer would be a Dodgers-Yankees World Series this year. Whichever team wins will determine which superstar had a more successful season in 2024.
Two Modern-Day Greats Enjoying Great Stats In 2024
The Yankees captain has not only hit 51 home runs this year but he is also slashing .327/.461/.715 along with 123 RBIs, 31 doubles, 110 walks. Over 135 games, Judge has a 1.189 OPS and 342 total bases. This impressive offensive stats make him a favorite to reclaim the American League MVP this year. On the other hand, Shohei Ohtani has the chance to become the first player to have a 50-50 season.
He is hitting .291/.374/.617 over 134 games. On top of that, the Unicorn has also posted 107 RBIs, 30 doubles, 69 walks along with a .991 OPS and 329 total bases. So far, this season, the Japanese superstar has hit 44 home runs. Obviously, he is a favorite to win the NL MVP.
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