The top two contenders for MVP in the American League took the field against each other Monday night for the first of three games between two likely playoff participants.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, the MVP winner during his record-setting 2022 campaign, went 2-for-4 with a walk and another key RBI in the Yankees’ 10-4 victory over All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and the Royals at the Stadium.
“It’s out of my hands, it’s always been out of my hands,” Judge told The Post after the game. “It’s not my job to worry about it. My job is to put my team in the best position to win, whatever that is.
“Worrying about the voting or this and that, you can’t ever get caught up in that.”
New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) reacts after striking out during the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConWhile both players entered the series with a WAR of 9.6 this season, as computed by FanGraphs, Yanks manager Aaron Boone offered his pinstriped superstar a ringing endorsement.
“I hear about it sometimes, but I think I get to watch the MVP every day,” Boone said.
The 24-year-old Witt is batting an MLB-leading .335 following a 1-for-4 night with two strikeouts.
That’s 13 points higher than Judge, who leads the majors in home runs (51), RBIs (126) and OPS (1.150) for the first-place Yanks. Monday, Judge added a game-tying single ahead of Austin Wells’ three-run homer in the seventh.
Boone called Witt “maybe the fastest player in the league,” and he showed off his wheels in the fifth inning by scoring from first base on a popup that dropped between Gleyber Torres and Juan Soto.
“That’s one thing I wish I had in my bag. I wish I could score from first on a popup,” said Judge, who hasn’t homered in 13 games since Aug. 25. “Just seeing the growth the past couple of seasons, he just gets better and better.
Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals tags out Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees to complete a fifth inning ending double play at Yankee Stadium on September 09, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Getty Images“I feel like [2023] was a pretty amazing year, and he continues to one-up it. He can do it all, he can do everything on a baseball field you can ask him to do…It’s been a treat to watch him.”
Witt also is on the verge of his second straight 30-30 campaign, with 30 homers, 98 RBIs and 28 stolen bases for the improved Royals, who hold the No.2 wild-card position in the American League at 79-66 after losing 106 games in 2023.
“Any time when you got that around your name, it’s pretty cool,” Witt said when asked about the MVP race. “I can’t really control that, so I just try to do what I can to help the team win each and every night. So that’s my ultimate goal.
“We’re in a playoff hunt right now and that’s what my mindset is on. I just gotta control what I control throughout this time and prepare the way I can and go have fun.”
Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals connects on a fifth inning base hit against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 09, 2024. Getty ImagesIn a recent interview with ESPN, Witt referred to the 6-foot-7 Judge as “a big dude” and “the King of New York.”
When asked Monday about Judge, Witt complimented the six-time All-Star outfielder as much for his off-field persona as for his on-field exploits.
“It’s incredible. I got to see him firsthand with the All-Star Game, with how he works and what he does and how great of a guy he is, not only on the field but off the field,” Witt said. “He respects everyone, talks to everyone, comes up to me and talks to me. He doesn’t have to do that. He’s Aaron Judge, so it’s pretty cool to see him do that as a person.”
