Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are both favored to win the MVP award in their respective leagues, but can either (or both) win the Triple Crown?
Both Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are leading candidates for the MVP in their respective leagues and are serious contenders for the Triple Crown.
While Ohtani's transition to the NL has been impressive, his July performance will need to pick up for him to stay on track. Judge faces a tougher challenge in batting average but leads in home runs and RBIs.
The pursuit of the Triple Crown by these two superstars adds an exciting narrative to the second half of the MLB season.
Shohei Ohtani's Performance in 2024
Shohei Ohtani has smoothly transitioned from the American League to the National League in 2024. As a standout for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani is the leading candidate for the NL MVP award while also topping the league in home runs.
Ohtani's Current Stats
- Home Runs: Ohtani leads with 29, three ahead of Atlanta Braves' Marcell Ozuna (26).
- RBI: Ohtani has 69 RBIs, trailing Ozuna (77) and Alec Bohm of the Philadelphia Phillies (70).
- Batting Average: Ohtani's .316 average is 10 points behind Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers (.326).
Despite leading in home runs and being close in RBIs and batting average, Ohtani's power and run production have dipped slightly in July. He hit 12 homers and drove in 24 runs in June but is on pace for six homers and 14 RBIs this month.
Aaron Judge's Challenge
Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees slugger, might have a tougher path to the Triple Crown compared to Ohtani.
Judge's Current Stats
- Home Runs: Judge leads with 34.
- RBI: Judge leads with 85 RBIs.
- Batting Average: Judge's .306 average is well behind Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians (.352). Even if Kwan does not qualify due to missed games, Judge still trails Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. (.323) and Minnesota Twins' Carlos Correa (.308).
While Judge's lead in homers and RBIs is significant, his batting average is a notable challenge. He must also contend with close competitors like Jose Ramirez of the Guardians, who is just eight RBIs behind.
The Triple Crown Club
The last player to win the Triple Crown in either league was Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera in 2012, with 44 home runs, 139 RBIs, and a .330 batting average. Before Cabrera, Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox achieved the feat in 1967.
Historical MLB Triple Crown Winners
| Player Name | Year | League |
| Miguel Cabrera | 2012 | AL |
| Carl Yastrzemski | 1967 | AL |
| Frank Robinson | 1966 | AL |
| Mickey Mantle | 1956 | AL |
| Ted Williams | 1947, 1942 | AL |
| Joe Medwick | 1937 | NL |
| Lou Gehrig | 1934 | AL |
| Jimmie Foxx | 1933 | AL |
| Chuck Klein | 1933 | NL |
| Rogers Hornsby | 1925, 1922 | NL |
Recent Close Calls
- Aaron Judge (2022): Led the AL in home runs (62) and RBIs (131) but missed the batting title by five points (.316) to Luis Arraez (.321).
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2021): Tied for the AL lead in home runs (48), second in batting average (.311), and fifth in RBIs (10 behind leader Salvador Perez).
- Christian Yelich (2018): Led in batting average but missed the home run title by two and the RBI title by one.