Shohei Ohtani (31) of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Aaron Judge (33) of the New York Yankees ranked first in the MVP mock voting.
Major League Baseball's official media outlet, MLB.com, released the results of the MVP mock voting conducted by 43 experts on the 2nd (Korea time). Ohtani took first place in the National League, while Judge took the top spot in the American League.
Ohtani and Judge are players who have been dominating the MVP voting recently. When both Ohtani and Judge were in the American League, they shared the MVP award over three years. In 2021 and 2023, Ohtani won the MVP, while in 2022, Judge set the American League home run record (62 home runs), interrupting Ohtani's three-year streak of MVP wins.
Last year, when Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract (about 950 billion won) with the Dodgers and transitioned to the National League, he won the National League MVP, while Judge won the American League MVP unanimously. This year, the likelihood of both players winning MVP awards is also increasing.
Ohtani has recorded a batting average of .287 (95 hits in 331 at-bats) with 30 home runs, 55 RBIs, 83 runs, 11 stolen bases, and an OPS of 1.024 in 84 games this season. After undergoing elbow surgery in September 2023, he was unable to pitch last year, but this year, he successfully returned to the mound in a rehabilitation format in Major League Baseball. Thanks to his performance, he received 39 out of 43 first-place votes in this mock voting.
MLB.com noted, 'Ohtani ranked first in the MVP mock voting even before returning to the mound. While he could achieve even more astonishing results if he could pitch as well, it has been his hitting that has propelled him to the top. Ohtani leads the National League in home runs, slugging percentage, OPS, and runs. He continues to showcase the impossible. If he wins a fourth MVP, only Barry Bonds (seven times) will have won more MVP awards than Ohtani.'
Judge has also posted impressive numbers this season with a batting average of .358 (112 hits in 313 at-bats), 30 home runs, 67 RBIs, 75 runs, six stolen bases, and an OPS of 1.188. He received 35 out of 43 first-place votes in this voting.
MLB.com highlighted, 'While Judge may not be able to reach a .400 batting average, he still remains a player capable of winning the MVP, and for good reason. The best sluggers in baseball history post averages above .358 while hitting home runs at a rapid pace and leading the Major League in OPS. He is moving toward yet another historic season.'
[OSEN]