The New York Yankees slugger, Aaron Judge is the odds-on favorite to win the American League MVP. He has moved ahead of Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who won the AL MVP Award last year.
In 2017, he was unanimously selected as the American League Rookie of the Year – a prestigious award recognizing the most exceptional talent in each league. And came in second in the voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award
Judge was selected by the Yankees with the 32nd pick in the first round of the 2013 MLB draft and has since gone on to become one of the best players in all of MLB in recent years. After making his MLB debut in 2016 and hitting a home run in his first MLB game, Judge continued in fine form and managed to break rookie records in 2017.
He became a sensation, winning the Home Run Derby and being named an All-Star. This made him enter MLB record books. Judge ended the season with 52 home runs, shattering Mark McGwire’s Major League Baseball rookie record of 49 and the Yankees’ full-season rookie record of 29. Judge, at 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m) and 282 pounds (128 kg), is one of the biggest players in MLB.
Judge finished the 2021 season batting .287/.373/.544 with 39 home runs and 98 RBIs. His 158 hits were the highest of his career, as were his 39 home runs and 98 RBIs.
Aaron Judge has been the most dominant player in the 2022 season. The betting online odds reflect that he is far from the only player in the race. The odds are currently listed at +100.
The latest Al MVP odds are as follows:
| Player (Team) | Odds |
| Aaron Judge (NYY) | +100 |
| Shohei Ohtani (LAA) | +175 |
| Mike Trout (LAA)
|
+1000 |
| Yordan Alvarez (HOU) | +1000 |
| Rafael Devers (BOS) | +1600 |
Why is Judge the favorite?
The Yankees have played 80 games so far this season, and are halfway through their 162-game schedule. Judge’s power-hitting could lead to the ninth 60-homer season in MLB history, which would be only the third season since major league baseball’s steroid era, thus further highlighting just how sensational the slugger has managed to be throughout the season.
Moreover, he has a 1.010 OPS in late and close situations, which is third-best among hitters with at least 50 plate appearances in those spots. He has five home runs, the most.
At 59-23, the Yankees are off to the best start of any team since the 2001 Seattle Mariners—and there is no denying that that is mainly because of 6’7″, 282-pound Aaron Judge.
It’s not until the halfway mark of the MLB season that voting for the league’s significant awards begins. There’s still plenty of baseball left to play, and It’s entirely conceivable that Judge could get caught by one of his AL MVP competitors, who might not be leading him in home runs but can lead in another area.
Other AL MVP Choices
Jose Ramirez
Ramirez is poised for a big season after finishing in the top three for MVP voting in three of the last five seasons. The Cleveland Guardians’ third baseman is a complete player who is outstanding at the plate, on the bases, and in the field. He could be in line for the WAR crown, but he’s also producing the kind of gaudy RBI numbers that would impress some less analytically inclined voters.
Final Thoughts
Aaron Judge is the frontrunner for AL MVP in the 2022 MLB season. If he continues to play at his current level all season long, there’s no reason he won’t remain the favorite for the AL MVP. He is a phenomenal player who has made his team better and is likely to become one of the biggest stars of MLB; in fact, if he continues to play in the same fashion, it would not be a surprise if he were to help the Yankees win the World Series this year.
Even if you are not a fan of the Yankees, but enjoy baseball, it is hard not to be impressed with what Judge is doing at the plate this year, either.
