Shohei Ohtani got robbed in the MVP race, according to MLB insider
Even after the announcement of the American League MVP Award, the Aaron Judge-Shohei Ohtani debate continues to rage on. It seems the baseball world is polarized when it comes to which player was more valuable in 2022.
Aaron Judge had a historic season and was undoubtedly a worthy winner. There is, however, a group of loyal Ohtani followers that are still bitter about the decision.
Jared Carrabis is the latest to add his two cents to the debate. According to the MLB podcaster, Ohtani was robbed of his second MVP title.
Many analysts and industry insiders believe Ohtani is a once-in-a-generation talent. His ability to excel at both hitting and pitching is exceptional.
The MVPs were announced this week and @Jared_Carrabis thinks Shohei Ohtani got ROBBED. It came down to an East Coast bias like Jared said it would and now he’s reluctantly congratulating Aaron Judge. We’re also getting into the rest of the 2022 MLB Awards. cms.megaphone.fm/channel/baseba… https://t.co/UdDZDPramH
"The MVPs were announced this week and @Jared_Carrabis thinks Shohei Ohtani got ROBBED. It came down to an East Coast bias like Jared said it would and now he’s reluctantly congratulating Aaron Judge. We’re also getting into the rest of the 2022 MLB Awards." - Baseball is Dead
The vote was not as close as many expected. Aaron Judge received 28 first-place votes and two second-place votes. Shohei Ohtani, meanwhile, received just two first-place votes and 28 second-place votes.
It is hard to compare these two players directly, primarily because Judge is not a pitcher. But for many, Ohtani's ability to dominate on both the offensive and defensive side should have been enough to edge the vote.
Ohtani did not disappoint in 2022 after his outstanding MVP season in 2021. He finished with a slash line of.273/.356/.519 and an OPS of.875. He also had 34 home runs and 95 RBIs to his credit.
On the defensive side, Ohtani finished with a 15-9 record and a meager 2.33 ERA. He ranked sixth in the MLB in strikeouts (219) and ERA (2.33).
Aaron Judge received 28 first-place votes versus Shohei Ohtani's 2 votes for the 2022 AL MVP
Aaron Judge had a record-setting season of his own. The four-time All-Star broke the AL single-season home run record with 62 home runs - a record that has been held by fellow Yankees Roger Maris since 1961.
The Yankees slugger dominated in almost every offensive category. He led the league in home runs, RBIs, runs, OBP, slugging, and OPS.
Aaron Judge was two first place votes shy of being a unanimous AL MVP https://t.co/3vGPS764bn
"Aaron Judge was two first place votes shy of being a unanimous AL MVP" - FOX Sports: MLB
Perhaps a major factor for many voters was the fact that Ohtani's team had a torrid year. The Los Angeles Angels finished with a 73-89 record and missed out on the playoffs for the eighth straight season.
The New York Yankees on the other hand finished with 99 wins and went on a deep playoff run before eventually losing out to the Houston Astros in the ALCS.
Any other year, a season like Ohtani's would've merited an MVP crown. Unfortunately for the Japanese sensation, he came up against a historic, record-setting season by Judge that many believe simply couldn't be ignored.