The race for the American League MVP Award is a two-horse race between Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani won the MVP Award last season thanks to his 46 home runs and 100 RBI.
Judge is the likely favorite this year for having broken the single-season American League record in home runs.
But when several former MVPs, including Ohtani’s Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout, were asked about who should win the award, there wasn’t much of a debate.
In fact, Trout kept his answer short and to the point, saying nothing more than that it was good for the game of baseball to see two players duking it out for the MVP.
Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani for AL MVP?
When The Athletic reached out to a group of former MVP winners, there wasn’t as much debate as one might think.
But there was a notable abstention: https://t.co/5xuc9FOrb5 pic.twitter.com/iIlpNpnPwa
— The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) October 5, 2022
“Good For Baseball”
Trout here is simply summing up the beauty of the AL MVP race.
On one hand, you have a guy who could be considered the home run king, depending on how you look at it.
He broke a record that stood for over 60 years in the American League and has had a truly historic season.
On the other hand, you have a guy who can pitch and hit and do both effectively.
To put it simply, he’s a two-way player, which is something the game has not seen since the likes of Babe Ruth himself.
While Judge has put up historic numbers, what Ohtani has been able to do should not be overlooked, especially when you consider the stats he’s put up both at the plate and on the mound.
You really can’t go wrong with either one of these guys.
Each player would be a great choice to win the AL MVP Award.
Now, we’ll have to wait and see what the voters decide.
NEXT: Kurt Suzuki Received A Proper Sendoff In Oakland