There are only a few athletes who come as one-in-a-generation talent. It seems after Babe Ruth, who has matched this term, is the Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese star has captured the scenes of the MLB with his unique talent. Because of it, they often term him as the number 1 in the league. However, when it comes to the competition, Aaron Judge is not far behind. It puts them often in the fight for MVP status, which is seeing a mismatch this year.

The two AL stars have competed for the top finish for the past two seasons. Though the Yankees captain won the fight last season, two-way phenom was not too far. The current season saw similar scenes, with two in a close fight. But an injury to the 2022 MVP gave Ohtani a free run. But Judge’s absence for months brings up a question: Would it have been different had Judge remained fit?

Did Shohei Ohtani Benefit From Aaron Judge’s Absence?

Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani are the two of the best hitters in the ball. Aaron Judge’s 62 HR record last season and Ohtani’s 44 Home Runs so far are proof of it. But these stats not be the sole decider of MVP status. Many other factors are taken into account while determining it. One is the WAR, which signifies the number of additional wins a team achieves over expected wins if they substitute a player with a replacement-level player.

According to Codify Baseball, Ohtani is the leader in this. He is recording 8.4 WAR even after losing the run of the Angels. Whereas Judge is recording a 3.4 WAR, an apparent difference of five points. Second comes the consistency.

Although the Yankees 16th captain remains the leader of the Yankees offense, his contribution has been inconsistent. In the last ten games, Judge has scored six runs, including three in his previous outing. While his counterpart has scored nine, averaging almost a run per game. Whereas Ohtani is averaging more and has more stolen bases (17) than Judge, who has claimed just three. Also, Judge has been struck out one average per game more than Angles star. With Ohtani also pitching, he brings another advantage for the teams.

In the current season, Ohtani has a win-loss record of 10-5. He has allowed an ERA of 3.14 with 167 Ks and is tied for eighth and 11th in the league. This makes two-way phenom a complete player and gives him another advantage over others. It all makes him the deserving leader in the MVP race, even if Judge played the entire season. But will an injury to him impact his positive run?

A Brutal Injury Put Ohtani’s MVP Run in Jeopardy

Though Ohtani has outclassed everyone in the MVP race, the latest injury can put a break to it. According to latest reports, Ohtani has a tear in his UCL, and will not pitch the rest of the season. And there is nothing clear about whether he will require surgery. And if that happens, it might put him out of this season’s action.

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With Judge recovering and doing well in the last few games, he might chase down Ohtani in his absence. And if that happens, Judge might be the top runner again for the MVP tag. What do you think about it? Let us know your MVP pick in the comments.

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