Many people argue that Aaron Judge is the
best player of our time, while others claim that Shohei
Ohtani is the true GOAT and that Judge is merely above
average. This debate can definitely be seen from two
sides, and it’s fascinating to see which one fans align
with.
Aaron Judge is undoubtedly one of the best
players of our time, but whether he’s the GOAT is
another question. In an era when baseball is evolving
quickly, it’s difficult to determine who stands atop the
all-time list after so many generations of great players.
If there are two stars who define the last decade of
baseball, it’s certainly Judge and Ohtani.
Judge has dominated the American League over the
past five years. He’s won two AL MVP awards, hit 62
home runs in a single season without steroids, and
broke the long-standing records of Roger Maris and
Babe Ruth. Yet Ohtani has created his own club: the
50/50 club, and has earned both AL and NL MVP
awards while also winning a World Series against the
Yankees.
Judge has consistently proven himself to be one
of the best offensive players in the game. His nine-
year, $360 million contract reflects that value, paying
him $40 million per year with no opt-out clause. Over
his career, he’s hit 368 home runs, maintained a .294
batting average, recorded more than 1,000 hits, and
driven in 830 RBIs. Judge has been selected to the All-
Star team seven times, missing only his rookie year and
the COVID-19 pandemic season. He’s also a four-time
Silver Slugger Award winner. Against Ohtani, he’s gone
2-for-6 (.333) with one home run and one RBI.
When their teams have faced off, both have won
key games. In postseason play, however, the Dodgers
defeated the Yankees four games to one. In that series,
Ohtani batted .103, while Judge hit .222.
Offensively, Ohtani has been outstanding. He
founded the 50/50 club in 2024 and won the NL MVP.
He holds a career batting average of .282, averaging
131 hits per year compared to Judge’s 120.5, though
Judge has more home runs both per year and overall.
Ohtani has 280 career home runs and a .957 OPS.
When their teams have faced off, both have
won key games. In postseason play, however, the
Dodgers defeated the Yankees four games to one. In
that series, Ohtani batted .103, while Judge hit .222.
As of Oct. 10, 2025, Ohtani is still alive in the
postseason but struggling, hitting just .071 (1-for-14),
one of the lowest averages among active players.
Judge, meanwhile, has been eliminated after the
Yankees lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in four games.
Before elimination, he hit .364, collecting four hits in 11
at-bats, including one of the most clutch hits in recent
Yankees postseason history.
Even as a huge Aaron Judge fan, it’s safe to
admit defeat that Shohei Ohtani probably has the best
chance of being the GOAT in MLB history.
