The competition for the MVP award in MLB is getting intense. Aaron Judge, the Yankees captain has been dominating most of the season. However, KC Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., who is currently driving the team’s unexpected comeback is now making a bid.
During an episode of Jomboy’s ‘Baseball Today,’ hosts, Chris Rose and Trevor Plouffe dive into whether Bobby Witt Jr. could outshine Aaron Judge for the MVP title this year.
Chris spotlights Witt’s performance and mentions how close he was a single away from hitting for the cycle in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks – something that put him ahead of Judge in WAR (Wins Above Replacement).
Trevor recognizes Witt’s contributions but points out the difficulty of surpassing Judge. While Witt excels at a premium position like shortstop, Judge leads in statistics such as home runs, RBIs, and batting average. Trevor picked the Yankees captain over the Royals’ standout and stated-
“Judge just leads in everything, man. I just don’t see it happening.”
Does Bobby Witt Jr. have a shot at overtaking Aaron Judge for MVP? pic.twitter.com/LrvQhGmCFl
— Chris Rose Sports (@ChrisRoseSports) July 23, 2024
Next, Chris points out that Witt’s chances could get better if Kansas City reaches the playoffs by winning the division, as MVP selections tend to lean toward players on successful teams. Moreover, Chris introduces the idea of “voter fatigue” and wonders if voters will become tired of Aaron Judge.
If Judge’s impressive home run numbers like 52 starts to seem not-so-exceptional due to his achievements, it might work in Witt’s favor. Having said that, as the MLB season progresses, the recent MVP poll conducted among 42 MLB.com experts reveals frontrunners in each league while allowing for potential dark horse candidates.
In the American League, Aaron Judge from the Yankees leads with 38 first-place votes due to his performance since May 1, which includes a .372 batting average, 20 home runs, and a 1.388 OPS. Juan Soto follows closely with statistics; he maintains the highest on-base percentage in MLB and has the second-best OPS.
In the American League, Gunnar Henderson from the Orioles, Bobby Witt Jr. from the Royals, and José Ramírez from the Guardians are also among the five players making impacts on their teams through both strong offensive and defensive displays.
Others receiving votes for 2024 AL MVP include:
- Kyle Tucker (Houston Astros)
- Rafael Devers (Boston Red Sox)
- Adley Rutschman (Baltimore Orioles)
- Salvador Perez (Kansas City Royals)
- Tarik Skubal (Detroit Tigers)
Shifting focus to the AL Cy Young Award race at this midway point of the MLB season, several pitchers are considered standout candidates for this accolade.
Who’s Leading the American League Cy Young Race?
As per ESPN, the frontrunners for the 2024 American League Cy Young Award in MLB are:
1. Emmanuel Clase – Cleveland Guardians
2. Craig Kimbrel – Baltimore Orioles
3. Seth Lugo – Kansas City Royals
4. Corbin Burnes – Baltimore Orioles
5. Tarik Skubal- Detroit Tigers
6. Grayson Rodriguez – Baltimore Orioles
7. Ronel Blanco- Houston Astros
8. Luis Gil – New York Yankees
9. Josh Hader- Houston Astros
10. Logan Gilbert- Seattle Mariners
