Aaron Judge is having one of the most historic seasons fans have seen in a long time. The four-time all-star is having his best season ever in the pros as he entered Tuesday night’s game with 59 home runs. The 30-year-old outfielder has come a long way since being voted Rookie of the Year in 2017.  After overcoming lots of injuries, Judge has hit his stride in his final contract year with the New York Yankees and is set to become a free agent at the end of this season. Judge will be looking to bring in a big contract that will set him up for the rest of his career. 

Last Tuesday, September 20, Judge would go quiet through the first eight innings of the game, he went 0-3 with a strike out and a walk, but that would all change during the bottom of the 9th. The Yankees trailed by four runs, when Aaron Judge led off the inning with a solo shot to tie Babe Ruth’s record of 60 home runs. Aaron Judge and the Yankees are set to face off against their division rival, the Baltimore Orioles, this weekend in a three game set starting Friday night. Judge needs one home run to tie the American league record of 61, currently held by Roger Maris.

Judge is currently on triple crown watch. He is tied for the American League lead in batting average with a .317, and he also leads the MLB in RBIs and home runs. Sports writers and commentators have recently broken out into raging debates over who should win this year’s MVP: Judge, or former MVP, Shohei Ohtani. There should be no question that Judge will win the MVP, but people are still saying that Shohei should win. Ohtani is a two-way player who, since his debut in 2018, has taken the league by storm. There is no doubt we are watching a future hall of famer in Ohtani. So far in 25 games this season, Ohtani has posted a 2.43 ERA in 148 innings pitched, while also striking out 196 batters. His bat has also been consistent, batting with a .270 average, while slugging 34 home runs. However, although Ohtani is having a great year on both sides of the ball, Judge has absolutely destroyed the baseball this year in comparison.

The MVP award is supposed to be given to the player who is the most important and useful player to the club and to the league. Judge has carried his team, helped the team members overcome many injuries, and has led the team to battle adversity when things did not go its way this season. The Yankees have won the A.L East division for the first time since 2019, and a lot of that has to do with Aaron Judge. Ohtani and the Angels have once again finished below .500 and have been eliminated from the playoffs. The MVP cannot be given out to a player who can’t even help his team be competitive. If Ohtani wins the MVP, it will set a new lower standard; fans will never see a different MVP until Ohtani is out of the league and the award will lose its meaning. Judge is the clear MVP, and that is all I have to say about it.