In virtually any other year, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. would be the prime candidate to win the AL MVP award. He has been magnificent and is actually leading his team to the postseason as things stand today. But there is a certain player in the New York Yankees that will likely earn all the offensive accolades up for grabs.
Aaron Judge, even during his mini-slump – 12 homer-less games might not be much for the average hitter, but feels like an eternity for the Yankees captain – has posted superior numbers than all his peers, including Witt.
Bobby Witt Jr. refers to Aaron Judge as King of New York
The Royals star, however, does stand a chance in the minds of some voters who value defensive excellence at a premium position. He praised Judge and called him the “King of New York.”
“He’s just so consistent,” Witt said, per Jeff Passan of ESPN, ahead of a big series for both squads. “That’s the name of the game: Stay healthy, stay on the field and help the team. He does that in a good way, and he does it the right way. He’s not out there showboating. He’s a big dude. He can do whatever he wants. He’s the king of New York.”
Witt shows enormous respect for the Yankees’ star
That’s high praise for the Yankees star, coming from a fellow top player in Witt.
Judge has led the Yankees to the best record in the American League as of Monday afternoon, with an incredible .321/.455/.695 line, 51 home runs, 125 RBI, and a 1.150 OPS. He has also contributed eight stolen bases and has played a lot of center field this season.
Witt is hitting a fantastic .336/.389/.603 with 41 doubles, 30 home runs, 98 RBI, 118 runs scored, and a .992 OPS. He has added incredible shortstop defense and 28 stolen bases.
The race for the AL MVP favors the Yankees superstar, but Witt has certainly made him interesting. He has been amazing this year and is actually about to pull off a feat even more impressive than his individual numbers: making the Royals relevant again.
