"Shohei Ohtani doesn't have the responsibility that Aaron Judge does" - Ex-MLB GM argues Yankees star's 2024 season outshines Ohtani's

Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are on track for historic seasons. While the former is looking for the first 50-50 season in baseball history, the latter seeks to eclipse the record for most AL home runs in a season. With their successes, there are natural comparisons between the two legends.

While appearing on Sports Net's Blair and Barker podcast, MLB Network analyst Dan O'Dowd was asked to choose who was having the better season between Ohtani and Judge. O'Dowd listed several reasons why he believes Judge should get the nod.

O'Dowd stated the Yankees captain has an unreal work ethic at the plate and in the field. He also noted that his tall and heavy physique shows no signs of fatigue during the long regular season.

"When you have to play center field when you are 6'6" 250 lbs and you are playing it at the level that he has, the fatigue and then I am going to factor in - Aaron Judge leads that ball club emotionally day in and day out. I am not saying Ohtani doesn't, but he doesn't have the sense of responsibility that Aaron Judge does on the totality of that roster," O'Dowd concluded.

Shohei Ohtani vs. Aaron Judge: WAR figures compared

Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is a solid metric for gauging a player's contribution to their team. It considers a player's abilities and determines how many wins they will be worth against a replacement player at the same position.

Per ESPN, Judge leads the MLB with an impressive 9.8 WAR. Ohtani trails him by a long margin with a 6.7 WAR, placing him sixth on the list. The difference is mostly due to defensive metrics and the Yankees' inability to find an at-bat that can produce the same numbers as Judge.

Despite their differences, both are predicted to win the AL and NL MVPs. However, it remains to be seen which can lead their team to postseason success.