Believe It or Not, Aaron Judge Can Still Win AL ROY and MVP Awards

In the middle of a difficult second-half slump, Aaron Judge’s AL Rookie of the Year and MVP chances may not be completely hopeless.

Any avid baseball fan would say, “NO! Absolutely not. Aaron Judge does not deserve to be MVP.” But let’s look at the bigger picture.

Granted, his second half numbers are horrendous, especially when compared to the historic first half numbers he posted. However, no one is immune to slumps, no matter how great you are.

Baseball is, and always will be, a game of adjustments. Teams have adjusted to Aaron and now it’s time for Aaron to adjust to opposing pitchers.

The scary part about all of this is that it’s just Judge’s first full season in the majors and he has a .276 batting average with 39 home runs, 87 runs batted in, and 104 runs scored.

There’s been a lack of consistent potent bats to protect him in the lineup. Injuries have caused Starlin Castro, Matt Holliday, Aaron Hicks, and Greg Bird to miss significant time but Judge has accepted his role as the leader of this young Yankee team and he’s done so diligently.

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We know Mike Trout is favored to win the MVP Award just about every year and rightfully so. However, no one highlights how his Angels teams consistently underachieve as he’s only appeared in the playoffs once (2014) in his seven-year career.

Jose Altuve is having an incredible year with a .352 batting average, 22 home runs, 74 RBI, and 97 runs scored. That definitely deserves recognition for MVP honors as well. But with a star-studded lineup with protection from top to bottom and a great pitching staff, Altuve and the Astros are exactly where the “experts” expected them to be. They’re in position to win 90+ games and make a run at the World Series.

It takes a lot to say this but I’m not as impressed with Altuve as I am with Judge. Numerous experts and baseball minds predicted the Astros to contend for a World Series. Meanwhile, the Yankees were expected to barely eclipse the 80-win mark.

This season was supposed to be about showcasing top young prospects and previewing what’s to come. Instead, Aaron Judge, along with other young Yankee stars, has led a group destined to make postseason runs for years to come.

With three weeks remaining in the regular season, Aaron Judge has the capability of not only tying but surpassing Mark McGwire’s rookie home run record of 49 set in 1987.

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The Rookie of the Year Award should be Aaron’s easily but if he can power the Yanks with a record-setting rookie season of 50+ home runs and an American League East division title, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t have the American League MVP Award added to his trophy case.

As if there was any need for added motivation, a World Series ring would be another great way to prove the “experts” wrong.

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