Just when it seemed like Aaron Judge was a lock for the 2024 American League MVP trophy, Bobby Witt Jr. stepped into the spotlight, declaring a competitive race for baseball’s top honor.
Recently named AL Player of the Month for July, Witt, 24, is the first Kansas City Royals player to earn this title since Billy Butler in September 2009, breaking an impressive 14-year drought for the team.
Both players are vying for the spotlight as they post impressive Wins Above Replacement (WAR) stats. Judge currently leads Witt 7.6 to 7.2 according to Baseball Reference. However, FanGraphs shows Witt leading 7.7 to 7.4, and Baseball Prospectus supports Witt with 7.7 WARP as well.
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With such narrow margins separating the two, the race has become more about performance than position, particularly after Judge’s strong showing in May and June was matched by Witt’s explosive July, where he dominated the AL in several categories: batting average (.489), on-base percentage (.520), slugging percentage (.833), OPS (1.353), hits (44), total bases (75), and runs scored. His monthly batting average was the highest for a Royals player since George Brett in July 1980.
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Witt’s outstanding performance didn’t stop him from competing in the All-Star Game and narrowly missing out on the Home Run Derby title to Teoscar Hernández.
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In MVP races with closely matched statistics, history suggests the award may lean towards the player on a higher-performing team. However, both the Yankees (66-46) and the Royals (62-49) remain in solid positions in their divisions and Wild Card pursuits.
BBWAA award voting is regionally balanced, which helps to offset any lingering “East Coast bias” present in other sports awards.
If both teams continue their strong performances, the MVP race could hinge on individual preferences: Witt shines defensively at shortstop, whereas Judge offers superior power hitting, recently celebrating his MLB-leading 41st home run.
While Judge is the more seasoned player, having secured the AL MVP title in 2022, Witt symbolizes a hopeful future for the Royals, who last reached the postseason in 2015.
With his recent success, Witt has become a bright spot for Kansas City, showing that the team’s future is looking promising.