Ohtani’s MVP seasons are wildly distinct, appropriate given his vast skill set. In 2024, he won his first NL MVP with an unprecedented 54-homer, 59-stolen base campaign. A year later, he ran less – but made a triumphant return to the pitching mound.

Yankees' Aaron Judge has the only 3 of these special season in history of baseball originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Aaron Judge is one of one. There's never been a hitter in baseball quite like the New York Yankees ' 6-foot-7 superstar.

It is one of the most hotly contested MVP debates in recent memory, and The Athletic's voting writers tried to put it all into perspective.

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Aaron Judge vs. Cal Raleigh was one of the most compelling MVP debates we’ve had in years, but did the voters get it right?