There is one question right now that is stirring America's passions like no other. It is not Republican or Democrat, active foreign policy or isolationism, or even Roe or no Roe. It is Judge or Othani. There is a fiery debate raging across America on the subject and regardless of who wins the award there should continue to be a stormy discussion for years to come. Given the historic achievements of both men this season, I suppose this was to be expected.
The reigning MVP Shohei Ohtani has proven last year to be no fluke. His offensive totals as of September 19th include 34 HR, 89 RBI, 11 SB, (9 CS though) .266 BA and .891 OPS. They are a bit down from last year, especially the base stealing, but still very much elite. On the mound, he has put up a 13-8 record, a sterling 2.43 ERA, 11.9 K/9, 1.04 WHIP, 5.44 SO/BB and 2.44 FIP. Here has improved significantly on already impressive numbers from 2021. He is very much a Cy Young candidate and I expect him to secure a top 5 finish here also.
On the other side, Aaron Judge has probably had the greatest ever "bet on yourself" season in baseball history. He rejected an extension banking on having the type of season to further boost his value. Did he ever? As of September 19th, he has 59 HR, 127 RBI, .316 BA, .419 OBP, 1.120 OPS, 16 SB, and a 9.6 WAR to Ohtani's 8.7 WAR. Judge also boasts an insane 213 OPS+ at the time of writing. He is on the verge of breaking the team record set by Roger Maris of 61 HR in 1961 which is considered by many to be the true single season record given the circumstances around the exploits of Sosa, McGuire and Bonds. I will not opine on this. I leave it to you.
What I will remark though is that the only reason why this even a debate at all is that Ohtani is also pitching on top of his offensive exploits. And even then it is only because he is an elite pitcher that we are even discussing this. On pure offense, Judge wins handily. But the question then becomes a matter of whether or not Ohtani the pitcher is so valuable as to make up the difference in offensive numbers. There is also the hypothetical of Judge playing on the Angels or Ohtani for the Yankees or the hypothetical of both on the same team. Who is more valuable then? And what do we mean by valuable? To me, the answer to that last question is who helps you win the most. And no, that is not an argument for penalizing Ohtani for being on a mediocre Angels team. If Judge were there instead of him they would still be mediocre. The Yankees would still be a playoff team if Ohtani instead of Judge was on their team.
In my opinion, the award this season should go to Aaron Judge. Ohtani won over Guerrero last year because even though Guerrero was brilliant, he did not threaten the records of Roger Maris in 1961. Judge has transcended brilliance and had a truly historic campaign. The argument for him is therefore stronger. Ohtani has been a superior pitcher this season versus 2021 but also had a regression from 2021 as a hitter. If Judge surpasses Maris and threatens Sosa's 66 HR from 1998, he simply can no longer be denied the award. He is threatening to win a triple crown and almost doubles the homer total of his nearest competitor that happens to be Ohtani. That level of dominance is simply unfathomable.
All this being said though, if Ohtani repeats it will be wholly deserved. He is not just a hitter and a pitcher. He is elite at both things. He is likely to finish top 5 in MVP and Cy Young voting. He adds value in a way no other player in baseball can. I would vote Judge because his season is historically dominant but Ohtani is also wholly deserving.
That brings me to the real point of this article. I am not pleased with the toxicity around this debate. Social media is filled with angry, demeaning remarks aimed at either player or either of the fan bases involved. Even pundits have adopted this maximalist approach in favor of one player or the other and turned what should be a fascinating discussion on the brilliance of these two men into a circus of insults and gratuitous swipes for absolutely no reason. Enjoy the show. Both men are redefining that which is possible in our game. Both will claim places in Cooperstown if they carry on like this and both will wholly deserve it. Whoever finishes second in the MVP voting will not have his Hall of Fame case diminished in the slightest. There is no need to spill over the toxic political and social discourse going on in America today into what is supposed to be a sanctuary from the frustrations of everyday life. We are living through a season that will be talked about for decades to come. Enjoy it!
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