New York Yankees fans have received bad news on Friday, September 19, as the American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in Major League Baseball is approaching and the team’s right fielder Aaron Judge could be ruled out for the award.
Judge has been a hitting machine, leading the league in average, on-base percentage and slugging. His OPS+ of 211 is impressive, and his WAR ranks him as the most valuable player according to statistics. However, the other player vying for MVP, Cal Raleigh -Seattle’s catcher-, is not far behind, on the contrary.
MLB executives divided between Judge and Raleigh
With just over a week to go in the regular season, MLB executives are still split on who is the favorite to play as the American League Most Valuable Player between New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh.
Among the 14 front office members surveyed by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, seven voted for Raleigh and six supported Judge, while one individual felt the race was tied at this point. Based strictly on offensive statistics, there is not much to argue in favor of Raleigh over Judge
Judge leads the league in batting average (.328), on-base percentage (.453) and slugging percentage (.676), in addition to having 48 home runs and 104 RBIs. While Raleigh leads the league with 56 home runs, which is a record for a catcher and a switch hitter, his .944 OPS is nearly 200 points lower than Judge’s.
Aaron Judge’s injury could be vital to the decision for the American League MVP
Judge’s injury in July could play a crucial role in the final decision. Although he returned quickly, his time as a designated hitter could affect the perception of his defensive value. Raleigh, on the other hand, has been consistent and has broken records, including the home run record for a switch hitter, which has given him a boost in the second half of the season.
At the end of the day, both players have had dream seasons. Judge, with his power and consistency, and Raleigh, with his offensive and defensive combination, have proven to be key players for their teams. The final decision will be difficult. However, what is undeniable is that both players have set a milestone in the current era of the sport.
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