Aaron Judge vs Shohei Ohtani: Who’s Closer to Capturing MLB’s Elusive Triple Crown?

The Triple Crown in Major League Baseball, which involves leading in batting average, home runs, and RBIs, is considered a prestigious accomplishment. This season the baseball world is buzzing with excitement as Aaron Judge from the Yankees and Shohei Ohtani from the Angels compete for glory on the diamond. The question on everyone’s minds is who’s on fire?

Securing the Triple Crown means excelling in batting average, home runs, and RBIs within a season. Throughout baseball history, 17 players have achieved this feat with Miguel Cabrera being the recent winner back in 2012.

While Aaron Judge had a dream performance in 2022, he narrowly missed out on claiming the Triple Crown title. Despite his dominance in areas of play, he couldn’t quite clinch the spot across all three categories. His hitting power was undeniable. However, achieving consistency across all aspects proved to be a challenge.

And, here’s where Shohei Ohtani’s scenario presents an advantage. Surrounded by a strong lineup, he has more opportunities to drive in runs (RBIs). A solid lineup increases the likelihood of having baserunners when Ohtani steps up to bat, thus enhancing his chances of racking up RBIs – an area where Judge may have faced difficulties during the 2022 season.

During a segment on MLB Tonight, analysts debated whether Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani is closer to winning the MLB’s Triple Crown. Yonder Alonso highlighted that Ohtani batting second in the lineup tonight benefits from having teammates like Freddie Freeman and Will Smith around him, which could increase his chances. Greg Amsinger questioned how batting leadoff might affect Ohtani’s RBIs.

On the other hand, Alex Avila supported Judge pointing out his performance despite a start to the season and the lack of lineup support behind him. Greg Amsinger raised concerns about Judge not having support in the lineup as Ohtani does and mentioned that Judge’s outstanding performance while batting leadoff in many games when he hit 62 home runs showed his potential.

The conversation also touched upon Triple Crown winners with Alex Avila citing Miguel Cabrera’s achievements being partly attributed to having Prince Fielder batting behind him.

As the season progresses, observing how the lineup influence this historic chase will be interesting. Taking into account our conversation, here’s a comparison of Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani’s current statistics, concerning the Triple Crown:

Aaron Judge (New York Yankees, Outfielder):

• Batting Average: .311 ( 2nd in AL)
• Home Runs: 62 (Leading MLB)
• RBIs: 131 (Tied for 1st in AL)

Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Angels, Designated Hitter & Pitcher):

• Batting Average: .342 (Leading MLB)
• Home Runs: 42 (Ranked 3rd in MLB)
• RBIs: 88 (9th in AL)

Judging by their stats, Judge appears to be slightly closer to the Triple Crown as he leads in two categories. However Ohtani’s pitching skills bring another point to debate regarding his value.

It’s important to note that the season is still young and both players have room for improvement. With plenty of baseball games left to be played the leaderboard could see changes.

However, another burning question currently among MLB fans is whether Shohei Ohtani will take part in the Home Run Derby.

Shohei Ohtani’s Status Regarding MLB’s 2024 Home Run Derby

While Ohtani has shown interest in participating in the 2024 Home Run Derby, uncertainties loom due to his rehabilitation process. If he decides to join it, it would be Ohtani’s second appearance at the Derby after taking part in 2021 (though he was eliminated in the round).

Dodgers manager, Dave Roberts is feeling cautious. There are concerns about the strain that the intense swinging involved in the Derby could put on Ohtani’s elbow, especially, since he is still recovering from Tommy John surgery year (he’s currently focusing on hitting and not pitching). Despite this, Roberts recognizes the impact it could have on baseball’s popularity.

Ultimately, the final say may not rest solely with Ohtani. He would likely require approval from both the Dodgers management and trainers before committing to participate. The MLB has yet to extend an invitation for him to join the Derby.

So while Ohtani is eager to take part, it hinges on decisions by the Dodgers and consideration of any health risks involved. We’ll just have to wait and see if he receives permission to go ahead.