MLB: How Close is the AL MVP Race?
Aaron Judge is having a rookie season for the ages, and at this point, he very likely has American League Rookie of the Year locked up. He does not need to hit another home run this season to hold the New York Yankees rookie record. He was clearly the best player in baseball in the first half. So far in the second half though, it has been a completely different story.
His batting average is nearly 0.20 less than it was at the All-Star break. It was clear who the favorite for AL MVP was, but now? Not so much. Before I continue, I must preface that the idea that Judge is no longer the obvious favorite is based on if his second half slump continues. If he comes out of it soon, he will win it no questions asked. For now, let us explore the idea that someone can make the MVP race competitive.
The Houston Astros do not have the best record in the AL because of luck. They dominate the opposition behind the bats of their star players Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and George Springer. All three of them are legitimate MVP candidates, and for good reason. They rank 2nd, 4th, and 6th in the AL in bWAR, respectively, while Altuve and Correa have the two best oWAR ratings.
These three are all over every offensive leaderboard, including on-base plus slugging (OPS), runs scored, and total bases. All of them would be worthy representatives as the best player in the AL. If I had to pick one though, I would go with Altuve as the best of the bunch. The Astros are not the only team with great players, obviously.
Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Indians has been quietly one of the best players in the league this year. After a breakout season last year, he is following up with more magic. He has career highs or is on pace for career highs in literally every offensive category. Couple that with the fact that he leads the league in doubles, and you have a top-tier player right there. A few guys would need to slump or he would need to get blisteringly hot, but do not be shocked if Ramirez is a finalist for AL MVP come November. Judge is still the odds-on favorite, but if he keeps slumping, any one of these guys could dethrone him and win the award.
Other Strong Candidates: Red Sox OF Mookie Betts and Angels OF Mike Trout. Could Make Noise If They Get Hot: Rays 1B Logan Morrison and Rays OF/DH Corey Dickerson.
Photo Credit: ESPN and FanRag Sports.
