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MLB Power Rankings 2018: Mookie Betts or Mike Trout for MVP?

By Adam Strangis

ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 12: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is safe at third on a RBI double by Justin Upton #8 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim as he beats the tag by Eduardo Escobar #5 of the Minnesota Twins at Angel Stadium on May 12, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 12: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is safe at third on a RBI double by Justin Upton #8 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim as he beats the tag by Eduardo Escobar #5 of the Minnesota Twins at Angel Stadium on May 12, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – MAY 13: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees runs to first base in the first inning during a game against the Oakland Athletics at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, May 13, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 13: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees runs to first base in the first inning during a game against the Oakland Athletics at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, May 13, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

4. Aaron Judge, Outfielder for the New York Yankees

49 GP, .290/.425/.579, 14 HR, 39 RBI, .426 wOBA, 2.6 WAR

At the rate we’re going this season, Judge is going to have to settle for another near miss as far as being the MVP. Some people might scoff at Judge being a candidate because of the lineup he’s playing in but that wouldn’t be fair at all. The only other “regular” who has a batting average over .246 around Judge right now is youngster Gleyber Torres.

Gary Sanchez and Giancarlo Stanton are supposed to be huge bats in the middle of the lineup with Judge. That hasn’t exactly been the case so far. Both those players are in double digits in home runs but Sanchez is hitting .220 with an OPS of .840. Stanton is hitting for a slightly higher average of .246 but his OPS is just .800. While they have certainly helped the Yankees, neither player has lived up to lofty expectations to this point. The same can’t be said for Judge.

He finished second last year to Jose Altuve and is basically repeating what he did in 2017. His batting average has come up a little bit without really sacrificing any of his power numbers. His home run pace is down a little bit but a drop from 52 to 46-48 this season shouldn’t be viewed as anything poor. New York has one of the best records in baseball and Judge as been front and center since Opening Day. If the other two players in the American League come back to Earth at all, we could All Rise for Judge being the MVP.

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