When Shohei Ohtani finished second in the American League Most Valuable Player voting, it wasn't because he had a bad season. Instead, Ohtani lost the 2022 MVP race to Aaron Judge because Judge authored one of the most prolific offensive campaigns in baseball history. While Ohtani delivered an unprecedented two-way performance as both an elite hitter and an ace-level pitcher, Judge broke the American League single-season home run record with 62 blasts and flirted with a Triple Crown. Understanding why Ohtani missed out on the hardware requires a close examination of historic offensive output versus unique two-way value.
Aaron Judge captured 28 of the 30 first-place votes, propelled by a stat line that captured the imagination of fans and voters alike. Judge batted .311, slugged 62 home runs, drove in 131 runs, and scored 133 times. His offensive WAR skyrocketed to historic levels, and he carried a struggling New York Yankees team into the postseason with clutch hitting all summer long. Voters weighed Judge's monstrous bat against Ohtani's dual mastery, ultimately deciding that Judge's offensive dominance was too large to overlook.
The Historic Scale of Aaron Judge's 2022 Campaign
To grasp why Ohtani finished as the runner-up, you have to look at what Judge accomplished at the plate. Breaking Roger Maris's long-standing American League home run record of 61 stood as the primary anchor for Judge's MVP narrative. Cleanly hitting 62 home runs in an era dominated by pitching velocity and defensive shifts carried immense weight.
Beyond the home run total, Judge led the American League in runs scored, RBIs, on-base percentage (.425), slugging percentage (.686), and total bases. His adjusted OPS+ reached 207, meaning he was more than twice as productive as a league-average hitter. When a position player leads the league in nearly every major offensive category while setting a historic home run milestone, voters traditionally view them as an insurmountable favorite. Judge didn't just have a great year; he had a generational offensive season that rarely happens in modern baseball.
Ohtani's Counterargument: Unprecedented Two-Way Excellence
Ohtani's 2022 season actually surpassed his historic 2021 unanimous MVP year in several vital metrics, particularly on the mound. As a hitter, Ohtani slashed .273/.356/.519 with 34 home runs, 30 doubles, 95 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases across 157 games. Those numbers alone would make any everyday player an All-Star contributor.
However, Ohtani's true value came from his pitching. He made 28 starts, posting a 15-9 record with a 2.33 ERA and 219 strikeouts over 166 innings. He finished fourth in the American League Cy Young Award voting alongside his offensive stats. No player in modern MLB history had ever qualified both as a hitter and a qualified starting pitcher in the same season, let alone performed at an All-Star level in both disciplines simultaneously.
Value Over Replacement and Voter Philosophy
The debate between Judge and Ohtani boiled down to a fundamental philosophical split in baseball evaluation: elite concentration of value versus cumulative dual-threat contributions.
Judge's offensive WAR hovered around 10.6, depending on the specific metrics used by FanGraphs or Baseball-Reference. Ohtani's combined WAR (hitting plus pitching) sat in a similar elite tier, usually calculated around 9.5 to 10.0. Because their overall calculated value was remarkably close, voters had to decide how to weigh a single position player dominating his craft versus a player splitting his energy across two demanding roles.
Several factors influenced how voters leaned toward Judge:
- Offensive separation: Judge created a massive gap between himself and the rest of the league in power and run production.
- Team context: Judge's performance was the undisputed driving force behind the Yankees winning the AL East division title.
- Historical weight of records: Breaking the AL home run record carried a traditional narrative weight that resonated deeply with veteran baseball writers.
Common Misconceptions About the 20th-Century Voter Mindset
Many fans assume voter fatigue played a role because Ohtani won the MVP award the previous year in 2021. In reality, historical precedent shows that voters are rarely shy about handing out back-to-back MVPs if the numbers demand it.
Another misconception is that the Los Angeles Angels' poor team record disqualified Ohtani. While team success often influences MVP voting, Ohtani still managed to secure two first-place votes and universal second-place support, proving that his individual brilliance was fully recognized despite the Angels missing the postseason. Voters didn't penalize Ohtani for his team's record; they simply rewarded Judge for carrying a playoff team with historic offensive output.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Shohei Ohtani receive any first-place votes in 2022?
Yes. Ohtani received two first-place votes, while Aaron Judge received the remaining 28 first-place votes, resulting in a final tally of 410 to 280 points in Judge's favor.
How close was Ohtani's pitching performance to winning the Cy Young?
Ohtani had an exceptional year on the mound, finishing fourth in the AL Cy Young voting behind Justin Verlander, Dylan Cease, and Alek Manoah, backed by his 2.33 ERA and 219 strikeouts.
Why didn't Ohtani win MVP if he played two positions?
While Ohtani's dual-threat ability is rare, Aaron Judge's offensive production set a historic baseline in home runs and overall run creation that narrowly edged out the cumulative value of Ohtani's combined pitching and hitting stats in the eyes of the writers.
Did Ohtani win an MVP award later?
Yes. Ohtani bounced back to win subsequent MVP awards, including a unanimous American League MVP in 2023 and National League MVP honors after moving to the Dodgers, cementing his legacy as one of the game's greatest talents. You can check historical player stats and awards directly on MLB.
