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Which athlete currently stands as the most exceptional in the sport?
Throughout baseball’s past, five fervent, continuous discussions have revolved around this query. The crucial term here is “sustained,” implying a duration of numerous years or longer, featuring the identical pair of athletes. The five instances are:
• Ty Cobb versus Honus Wagner, spanning the late 1900s through the early 1910s
• Ted Williams versus Joe DiMaggio during the 1940s, momentarily paused by World War II
• Mickey Mantle versus Willie Mays, extending from the mid-1950s into the early 1960s
• Barry Bonds versus Ken Griffey Jr. for a significant portion of the 1990s
• Shohei Ohtani versus Aaron Judge … currently
We find ourselves amidst the fifth monumental discussion, as Ohtani, competing for the consecutive reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers, and Judge, the New York Yankees’ leader, commence their fifth campaign vying for ultimate dominance in the sport. Naturally, this contention is resolved through data analytics and social platforms just as much as on the playing field, particularly since the two athletes now belong to separate leagues and both are capable of securing MVP accolades — Ohtani having achieved this in four of the last five seasons (all four of which were, notably, unanimous triumphs) and Judge in three of the preceding four.
The general agreement entering 2026: Ohtani occupies the top spot unequivocally. He effortlessly secured the leading position in ESPN’s MLB Ranking of the hundred finest baseball players this term. “It nearly appears unjust to feature Ohtani on this compilation,” Alden Gonzalez noted. “Occasionally, it seems he fits into a unique classification entirely.” Judge trailed Ohtani, securing the second position. “Judge, rather than Ohtani, is the planet’s foremost batter,” Jorge Castillo penned. “The Yankees’ skipper has attained legendary standing.”
Ohtani is, beyond doubt, the most extraordinary athlete we have ever observed. However, is he genuinely the more precious of the pair?
I confess: Upon submitting my top 100 assessments, I positioned Judge first and Ohtani second, notwithstanding my concurrence with Alden’s assertion. Ohtani indeed merits a distinct category, particularly as he embarks on his initial complete pitching season following his elbow ailment in August 2023. His feats — ranging from his 50/50 campaign in 2024 to his three-homer/10-strikeout display in the National League Championship Series last October — persistently astound in an unparalleled manner. He is singular.
Nevertheless … Judge also exhibits remarkable capabilities. Ever since he surpassed Ohtani for AL MVP recognition subsequent to hitting 62 home runs in 2022, Judge has arguably proven to be the more impactful of the two in three of the preceding four seasons:
WAR, nevertheless, is certainly not the conclusive element of the discourse. More relevant for 2026: Ohtani demonstrates improved hitting prowess compared to his tenure with the Los Angeles Angels in 2022; he abstained from pitching entirely in 2024, and only delivered 47 innings in 2025. Commencing from 2023, we will witness Ohtani operating at the zenith of both his offensive and pitching capabilities for the first time.
Therefore, let us dissect both athletes across every facet of the sport and ascertain who emerges victorious.
Batting
We shall concentrate solely on the most recent two campaigns, given Judge’s absence due to that torn ligament in his toe in 2023. Superficially, the statistics appear comparable:
Judge: .326, 111 home runs, 259 runs, 258 RBIs
Ohtani: .296, 109 home runs, 280 runs, 232 RBIs
Certainly, an advantage of 30 points in batting average is significant, and Judge additionally accumulates more bases on balls, thus affording him a substantial lead in the crucial on-base percentage, at .457 versus .391. Baseball-Reference calculates that Judge has generated 356 runs across the last two seasons, in contrast to 328 for Ohtani.
However, we now incorporate baseball’s fundamental element: outs. Judge has recorded 793 outs versus 911 for Ohtani; consequently, Judge has not merely generated more runs but has achieved this while utilizing considerably fewer outs. Judge’s hitting figures have been as remarkable in their individual historical eminence as Ohtani’s dual-skill excellence.
Utilizing runs generated and outs recorded, Baseball-Reference subsequently determines each player’s offensive victories when contrasted with a typical batter: Judge has averaged 9.4 batting wins over the last two seasons, as opposed to 6.8 for Ohtani. Such has been Judge’s supremacy. Ohtani has ranked as the game’s second most proficient batter, yet Judge has consistently outperformed him by 2.6 wins per season. That disparity in 2025 is comparable to, for instance, Bobby Witt Jr. and Dansby Swanson, or Francisco Lindor and Marcus Semien. It represents a substantial divergence.
None of the above accounts for opportune hitting, yet both athletes have — predictably — also shone in critical moments throughout the previous two seasons, with Judge achieving .315/.466/.630 and Ohtani .314/.428/.638. (Postseason high-pressure hitting constitutes a separate discourse; our focus here remains on regular-season examination.)
Advantage to … Judge (2.6 offensive WAR superiority)
Fielding and base running
A handful of marginal contributions also warrant consideration. Ohtani demonstrated significant base running prowess in 2024, successfully stealing 59 bases in 63 tries — approximately 10 runs of worth, equating to roughly one win — however, he was 20-for-26 in 2025 and is improbable to pursue 50 stolen bases this season once more. Nonetheless, Ohtani remains marginally superior on the bases compared to Judge and grounds into fewer twin killings. In totality, the FanGraphs base running measurement attributed Ohtani with an advantage of 3.7 runs in 2025 and Judge with a deficit of 4.1 runs, whereas Baseball-Reference showed Judge’s figures to be somewhat nearer.
Nevertheless, Judge occupies a defensive position, while Ohtani functions exclusively as a Designated Hitter when not on the mound. Judge continues to be a proficient right fielder, accumulating plus-3 defensive runs saved in 2025 and exhibiting even stronger fielding statistics through Statcast, where he was positioned in the 86th percentile for range and 84th percentile for arm strength. Both athletes incur a deduction in positional adjustment; Judge’s total defensive WAR for 2025 registered at minus-0.5, and Ohtani’s at minus-1.7.
Might Ohtani excel as a right fielder? Unquestionably. Yet, the reality is he does not participate defensively, therefore that positional modification is imperative. Integrating fielding with base running, Judge ultimately holds an advantage of approximately 0.6 wins in supplementary worth. When merged with his 2.6-win supremacy
at the plate, he maintains an approximate 3.2-win lead over Ohtani.
This is the gap Ohtani must bridge with his performance on the mound.
Superiority to … Judge (0.6 WAR benefit in fielding/baserunning)
On the Mound
One fact remains clear: Should Ohtani manage to merge his most successful batting campaign (2024) with his peak mound performance (2022), this discussion ceases to exist. Ohtani would triumph overwhelmingly — akin to Usain Bolt in the 200 meters. Ohtani achieved 9.0 WAR as a purely offensive contributor in 2024 and 6.3 WAR as a hurler in 2022. Such a feat would result in an astonishing 15-WAR season. Even disregarding the 50 stolen bases, a 14-WAR season is well within reach.
The pair of inquiries are: What level of proficiency will he exhibit as a hurler? And what volume of innings will he throw?
Regarding his proficiency, Ohtani’s concluding spring outing could offer a glimpse into his future prospects. Hurling against the Angels at Dodger Stadium during the Freeway Series, Ohtani fanned 11 batters over four innings, notably, six consecutive strikeouts at one juncture, even though the initial three batters hit singles in the fifth inning and subsequently crossed the plate. Nevertheless, it was a dazzling display, and following the match, manager Dave Roberts reiterated his wish for Ohtani to go “wire-to-wire” as a pitcher.
Ohtani articulated his objective as well: 25 starts. “I indeed consider that a significant milestone for a rotation arm,” he had remarked previously during spring camp.
While with the Angels in 2022, Ohtani commenced 28 games, finishing with a 15-9 record and a 2.33 ERA across 166 frames. Since he resumed pitching duties in 2021 following his initial elbow operation, he has amassed 15.3 WAR over 88 starts — a mean of 4.3 WAR per 25 starts. This sum, nevertheless, comprises some brief appearances last season when he first rejoined the starting corps. He is operating at peak capacity to commence 2026. If he maintains an average of 5.8 innings per start, as he did from 2021 to 2023, that would yield him 145 innings over 25 starts and 4.7 WAR at his unprecedented level of contribution.
This represents a greater volume of innings and more significant contribution than what forecasting systems predict, which typically place him at roughly 110 to 115 innings and 2.5 to 2.6 WAR. Should we find the midpoint between the greater-volume Ohtani and the lesser-volume Ohtani, we arrive at approximately 3.7 WAR in contribution on the mound.
Advantage goes to … Ohtani (3.7 WAR superiority in pitching)
Concluding Assessment
That mound projection places Ohtani slightly in front of Judge in total contribution by 0.5 WAR.
Nonetheless, there are other unforeseen factors to ponder. Ohtani is now 31 years of age, as opposed to 28 in 2023, which was his last full season attempting both batting and throwing duties. How will his physique endure the demands of performing both roles for 162 games? It’s significant to mention that his finest batting campaign occurred in 2024, when he focused solely on hitting — although, to be candid, he was quite close to that level last season. While he hasn’t hit as proficiently throughout his career when he pitches — that aforementioned NLCS game despite — two of his three best months last season transpired in August and September, after he had rejoined the starting lineup. Every indication points to another monumental year offensively, with a third straight 50-homer campaign serving as the standard.
Regarding Judge, he reaches 34 years old at the close of April, and he is unlikely to perpetually maintain an OPS exceeding 1.100. Will the decline commence in 2026? Forecasting models indeed predict a downturn, but that is partially due to the fact that his 2024-25 output level is nearly impossible to replicate. A consecutive third 50-homer campaign — and a fifth overall, setting a new record — continues to be the standard for Judge, potentially accompanied by a consecutive second batting championship as well. If he is to be the top performer in 2026, there is clearly scant allowance for even a slight decline.
Ultimately, I confess I likely erred in my list of 100 premier players. Provided Ohtani throws a sufficient volume of innings, his dual-role contribution will prove challenging to surpass. However, it is narrow. Sufficiently narrow for the discussion to persist — unlike many Ohtani or Judge fly balls — and remain unresolved.