Angels News: Aaron Judge Beats Out Shohei Ohtani for Top Players Choice Awards
It was going to be a fight until the end. Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani against Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge. But this battle was going to take place off the field.
The MLB Players Association announced their end of season awards for 2022, as voted on by the players. Judge and Ohtani were battling it out for two of the most prestigious awards — Player of the Year and AL Outstanding Player of the Year. But in the end, it was Judge who took home both.
This isn't something to be ashamed of, as Judge set an AL record with 62 home runs this season. An amazing feat for someone who decided to bet on himself this off-season and is expected to earn top dollar heading into free agency.
As for Ohtani, he continued to do it all on both sides of the field. He finished with 34 home runs and 95 RBIs, with an OPS of .875. He also also pitched a career-best 2.33 ERA, winning 15 games and striking out 161 batters.
All this was good enough to earn Ohtani his second straight All-Star appearance, and a nomination for the Hank Aaron Award. Ohtani wasn't able to take home either of these players choice awards, but he's still recognized among his peers as one of the best players in baseball. He'll be up against Judge one final time when the MVP award is announced on November 17.
