Yankees vs. Red Sox: Who has the edge at each position?
Aaron Judge vs. Mookie Betts
The battle in right field is one of the biggest calls we have to make. When he’s healthy, Aaron Judge is the best hitter in the Yankees’ powerful lineup. On the other hand, Mookie Betts is a strong bet to win the AL MVP Award this season. Both fan bases have every reason to support their right fielders against any opponent.
It was Judge’s mammoth two-run homer that set the tone for the Yankees’ Wild Card game victory over Oakland. If we’re honest, he needed to show that kind of power. Judge has been decent since his return from injury, but we really hadn’t seen flashes of dominance.
Betts is well positioned to win the MVP award for a reason. He’s tattooed the ball all season long. He may never enjoy another season where he hits .346. Add in the fact that he’s slugged 32 home runs and swiped 30 bases and it’s easy to see he’s one of the best players in all of baseball.
Interestingly, both players also provide their teams with excellent defense. Again, they do it in very different ways. Betts can really run balls down in right. Judge uses his cannon of an arm to gun players down who try to take an extra base.
The defensive side of this matchup is a wash. Betts get the nod in the hitting category because he’s been consistently excellent all year long. Judge might outhit him in this Series, but the odds favor Betts continuing to rake.