Judge Faces Tough Competition for MVP
LAS VEGAS — Aaron Judge is eyeing his third American League MVP title, having already clinched the award twice.
This time around, he’s in for a tough battle. The results of the tightly contested MVP voting will come out Thursday night, with Judge competing against Mariners catcher Cal Lowry. If he wins, Judge would become the fourth Yankee in history to score three MVPs, joining legends like Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Yogi Berra. However, with a total of 30 votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America, Lowry is expected to give him a good run for his money.
In 2024, Judge received unanimous votes, and in 2022, he took home 28 out of 30 first-place votes, surpassing superstar Shohei Ohtani. But this year’s Lowry brings a formidable record of his own, having hit 60 home runs — just shy of Judge’s AL record of 62. Notably, this also set a new single-season record for catchers and switch hitters.
Lowry played 121 out of 159 games as a catcher, demonstrating remarkable endurance in a challenging role. His defensive skills, particularly in framing pitches and managing top pitchers, add to his case.
Yet, Judge’s overall offensive performance has been remarkable. He won his first batting title with an impressive batting average of .331. His on-base percentage of .457, slugging percentage of .688, and OPS of 1.144 all led the majors, showcasing a dominant offensive presence.
With an OPS plus of 215, adjusted for league and stadium factors, Judge’s numbers notably surpassed Lowry’s 169. However, Judge missed 10 games due to a right flexor strain, and during that time, he managed 53 RBIs while mostly serving as designated hitter upon his return.
On the defensive side, in 95 games as right fielder, Judge had three defensive runs allowed, which isn’t too concerning.
Wins Above Replacement (WAR) isn’t everything when it comes to MVP voting. There are arguments that it doesn’t reflect a catcher’s value appropriately, but from the current stats, Judge holds a strong edge. His 9.7 bWAR contrasts with Lowry’s 7.4, and similarly, his 10.1 fWAR is better than Lowry’s 9.1.
Nevertheless, the race is shaping up to be quite close. Judge made history this season by becoming just the third player in MLB to hit at least 50 home runs while winning a batting title. Despite this, some voters might be feeling a bit fatigued with Judge’s consistent excellence, which may make his prior dazzling performances appear more ordinary.
Moreover, the MLB Players Association recently honored Lowry as both Player of the Year and American League Player of the Year through a player vote, which reflects the respect he earned for succeeding in such a demanding position.
