Report: Yankees’ 2 MVP candidates battling it out this season
New York Yankees superstar outfielders Aaron Judge and Juan Soto have thrived on the healthy competition that has resulted from their MVP-worthy seasons, but only one of these great talents will emerge victorious when the season is over.
Yankees: Aaron Judge is slugging at an MLB-leading pace
Judge’s name appears all over the MLB leaderboards. The past 2022 American League MVP is looking to add his second title to his collection, and he may do so with a league-leading 42 home runs, 107 RBI, and 1.162 OPS. The Fresno State product has been formidable at the plate, which is why he has the most walks (98) in the Majors. In terms of slugging, he has no competition. However, Soto has a solid claim to the honour.
Yankees’ Juan Soto is hitting every MVP benchmark in 2024
The Dominican superstar did not top the major leagues in any single statistical category, but his collection of work is diverse enough to warrant the honour on its own. He has 30 home runs, 97 runs (second overall), and 82 RBIs to go with a.303 batting average, giving the Yankees a game-changing franchise pillar who appears poised to lead them to their first World Series victory since 2009. Surprisingly, Soto has only had seven games where he hit under.300. New York went 3-4 in those games. As a result, Soto’s contribution to the Yankees has been noteworthy.
Judge and Soto are playing at historical paces & leading the Yankees to wins
There are notable similarities between Aaron Judge and Juan Soto’s performances this season. The Yankees (70-49) have a record of 33-10 in games where Judge hits multiple times and 23-12 when Soto does.
Both players are making significant strides in their careers. Soto hit two home runs in New York’s 8-7 win over the Texas Rangers, bringing his career total to 190 and surpassing Hall-of-Famer Ken Griffey Jr. for the most home runs before turning 26, according to Brady Farkas of Fastball on SI.
Judge, meanwhile, also homered in the same game, pushing his career total to 299. He is just one home run away from reaching 300, a milestone achieved by only 161 players in history. Judge is expected to reach this milestone in his next game at Yankee Stadium on August 18 against the Detroit Tigers, although he may achieve it even sooner.