MLB has seen legends, icons, and once-in-a-generation talents, but the rise of Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge represents something rarer: two historic forces that won another MVP award.

Their dominance is so overwhelming that the MVP conversation has become less of a debate and more of a formality. Year after year, they stand alone.

The Unmatched Kings of Modern Baseball

Dodgers Debate If Shohei Ohtani Fits as a Starter
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 16: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Dodger Stadium on September 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Ohtani and Judge have towered over Major League Baseball for five consecutive seasons. The recent MVPs finally confirm what the numbers have been shouting: no one else plays the game at their level.

The last season was similar to the one before: Ohtani and Judge won their league's top award, leaving other great players like Bobby Witt Jr. and Cal Raleigh chasing shadows, per USA Today.

Witt had one of the all-time great seasons for a shortstop. Raleigh turned in a historic season for a catcher, 60 homers, 125 RBIs, elite defense, and unmatched durability. Yet both finished in the long, inevitable second place behind Judge. That is how far ahead those two are.

New Era of MVP Domination

Aaron Judge Ties A-Rod on Yankees' All-Time Home Run List
Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Judge and Ohtani have captured seven of the last 10 MVPs, securing a stunning 195 out of 210 first-place votes. There hasn't been this kind of two-man reign since Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the NBA-or Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell before them.

And the advanced stats tell the same story. Over the past five seasons, they rank like this, according to Sports Illustrated.

  • 1–2 in home runs: Judge 249, Ohtani 233
  • 1–2 in OPS: Judge 1.075, Ohtani .990
  • 1–2 in slugging: Judge .649, Ohtani .606
  • 1–2 in WAR: Ohtani 45.5, Judge 41.7

Chasing Babe Ruth and Making Their Own History

Ohtani long ago surpassed Babe Ruth as baseball's greatest two-way player. Judge, on the other hand, is crafting a late-career surge reminiscent of Ruth's dominance in his 30s. His 190 homers in 500 games place him in rare company alongside McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds-names tied to PEDs, while Judge's achievements stand clean and monumental.

He even added a batting title, hitting .331 at 6'7," finishing 20 points ahead of the field. That's unheard of.

Ohtani's talents defy logic. This season alone, he hit more balls at 100+ MPH than any MLB hitter and threw more pitches at 100+ MPH than any starter not named Hunter Greene or Tarik Skubal. His back-to-back MVPs, along with his championship ring, put him in a club shared by legends like Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, and LeBron James.