New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge praised Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani as the top player in Major League Baseball ahead of the World Series.
Judge remarked, “He hits for average. He hits for power. The speed. Doing what he did this year with the 50 stolen bases. It got talked about a lot, but I don’t think it got talked about enough,” during a press conference. He added, “He’s an impressive athlete, the best player in the game. What an ambassador for this sport.”
Ohtani is on track to secure his third MVP award in four years, following a historic season in which he recorded 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases. In 2022, he finished second in MVP voting while Judge claimed his first MVP title.
Judge himself had an outstanding season, leading the majors with 58 home runs and 144 RBIs, along with a remarkable 1.159 OPS. His 11.2 fWAR is the highest since 2000 for any player not named Barry Bonds.
Both Ohtani and Judge are nominees for the 2024 Player of the Year at the MLBPA Players Choice Awards.
The World Series will kick off with Game 1 at Dodger Stadium on Friday.
