Best walk year MLB season ever

Aaron Judge is one of the best MLB players today, but there was a time when many doubted how successful he would be in the majors. Standing at 6'7 and 282 pounds, he is an outlier among MLB players, particularly hitters. Being bigger usually leads to more power but weaker contact for hitters. Judge struggled with that in his first year; he batted .179 with 42 strikeouts in 27 games.

He tirelessly worked that offseason to tweak his swing, leading to a breakout year in his first season in 2017; he finished second in MVP voting leading the AL with 52 home runs and 127 walks. Judge would continue to be one of the best players in the game for the next few years.

Entering the 2022 season, the final one in his original contract with the New York Yankees, the team offered Aaron a substantial contract; it was $213.5 million over seven years. But, shockingly to many, Judge decided to bet on himself and turned down that offer. As a result, he would have one of the greatest seasons ever, leading the league with 62 home runs, a 1.111 OPS, and winning the AL MVP. That offseason, he would re-resign with the Yankees on a $360 million/9 year contract, which was 146.5 million dollars more than he turned down earlier that year.