The two brightest stars in Major League Baseball are Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, of that there is little debate.
Both currently have the inside track to the highest honor bestowed by their respective leagues.
According to ESPN BET, Judge (-300) is the American League MVP favorite against the field (+210).
For the National League, Ohtani (-350) is the favorite against the rest of the league (+240).
Aaron Judge and Shohei are heavy favorites to win league MVPs 😱
Are you taking them or the field? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/LXrzqZvP8b
— ESPN BET (@ESPNBet) July 18, 2024
The New York Yankees lineup is built around the powerful Judge, who leads the league in an incredible array of offensive categories.
The right fielder is tops in home runs, RBI, slugging, OPS and total bases.
As for Ohtani, who is not pitching this season as he recuperates from an injury, the Japanese superstar and leader of the Los Angeles Dodgers is also tops in multiple statistics.
He paces the National League in home runs, runs scored, slugging, OPS and total bases.
Judge is a former MVP, and Ohtani already has two trophies on his crowded shelf.
There are many bright young stars around the baseball world, and one only has to look at the exploits of Pittsburgh Pirates rookie phenom Paul Skenes to see the future of the game.
However, in 2024, it is Ohtani and Judge who stand out the most, and both have the solid inside track to MVP honors.
Injuries can and do happen, and baseball is a game that can mire the most talented player in an extended slump.
But there is currently nothing to indicate that Ohtani and Judge will ease off the pedal and coast into the postseason, and their performances thus far are more than worthy of MVP status.
