BREAK: Yankees star make serious run at triple crown

Aaron Judge delivered another stellar performance for the New York Yankees on Sunday, going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs in their 8-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. This game further solidified Judge’s phenomenal season, making him a leading contender for the American League MVP and a potential triple crown winner.

After Sunday’s game, Judge’s batting average rose to .316, with 31 home runs and 82 RBIs. His average is the second highest in the American League, just one point behind Luis Rengifo of the Los Angeles Angels (.317). Judge leads the majors in home runs and RBIs by a considerable margin.

The triple crown is a rare feat, achieved only four times since 1950 by Mickey Mantle (1956), Frank Robinson (1966), Carl Yastrzemski (1967), and Miguel Cabrera (2012). While Judge has a long way to go, his strong first half of the season positions him well for a serious run at this achievement, provided he remains healthy.

In addition to the triple crown stats, Judge leads the majors in total bases (213), slugging percentage (.708), and OPS (1.144). He ranks second in walks (61), on-base percentage (.436), and WAR (5.9), trailing only his teammate Juan Soto in OBP (Soto has .437) and Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson in WAR (Henderson has 6.1).

Henderson poses the biggest threat to Judge’s MVP bid, but if Judge secures the triple crown, it will be challenging to deny him the MVP award. The dynamic duo of Judge and Soto has propelled the Yankees to the top of the American League standings, establishing them as one of the league’s top contenders.