Who Should Win MVP in the MLB?

Who should win MVP in the MLB for 2022? There are two players that certainly come to mind when thinking about the league’s next MVP, Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Shohei Otani of the Los Angeles Angels. 

When looking at the two solely as batters, there’s no doubt that the better batter is Aaron Judge. As of August 24, 2022, Judge has 48 home runs, 105 RBI’s and a batting average of .297. Meanwhile, Otani only has 27 home runs, 72 RBI’s and a batting average of .265. Looking strictly at their hitting stats, Aaron Judge seems like the clear choice for MVP. 

Although Aaron Judge may be the better batter, it’s important to keep in mind the actual title of MVP, most valuable player. Deciding which player deserves to receive the title of MVP comes down to what makes a player the most valuable. 

As of 2022, Shohei Otani is making $5.5 million, while Aaron Judge is making $19 million. This means that Otani is hitting around 4.91 home runs per million dollars that he is being paid. Judge hits 2.53 per million. Otani produces 13.09 RBI’s per million dollars, while Judge puts up 5.53 RBI’s per million. 

When comparing the actual value of the players it is clear that Shohei Otani provides a better dollar value. Not only does he produce more per dollar as a batter, he also provides some elite pitching abilities. He has 167 strikeouts, which is 8th in the MLB, and has an ERA of 2.83. 

When comparing Otani and Judge it is also important to consider the teams that they play for. Aaron Judge plays for the Yankees who have the second most wins in the American League, posting a win-loss record of 76-48. In comparison, Shohei Otani plays for the Angels who have the fourth least wins in the American League, acquiring a win-loss record of 52-72. While this may not be a key factor in the debate for MVP, it is still something worth mentioning. 

So who should win MVP, it really comes down to how you view the title. If you believe that the MVP should be the best batter than Aaron Judge is the way to go, but if you think that the MVP should be the player that provides the greatest value then Shohei Otani is the person best fit for the title.