New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge. Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. backs Aaron Judge in MVP race

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 9/15/22

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. thinks he was unjustly ignored in last year’s AL MVP race in favor of Shohei Ohtani. Now, the Toronto Blue Jays first baseman is concerned about the same thing happening to Aaron Judge.

Guerrero Jr. had a strong take on the AL MVP race for 2022, suggesting that Judge losing to Ohtani would represent “another steal.” The Blue Jays slugger told MLB reporter Hector Gomez that Ohtani is excellent, but Judge’s numbers are “way above Ohtani’s.”

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on the 2022 AL MVP: "To be honest, I think if they give it to Shohei Ohtani it will be another steal. Aaron Judge's numbers are way above Ohtani's. Ohtani is an excellent player, but for me, the MVP has to be Aaron Judge."@z101digital @ZDeportes pic.twitter.com/nT59bSTJcZ

— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) September 15, 2022

The big justification for Ohtani’s MVP candidacy is his two-way prowess. With 34 home runs to go with a 2.55 ERA in 24 starts, Ohtani provides tremendous value on both sides of the game. Judge does not pitch, of course, but he is still hitting .310 with 57 home runs in what has proven to be a historic campaign.

Guerrero Jr. is still frustrated that he was overlooked for MVP last season because of Ohtani. The issue is a tricky one, though. If the MVP award were purely based on value, Ohtani would win every year. Judge, on the other hand, can point to his historic excellence.

Judge is viewed as the favorite at this point, but the case is not completely closed. Guerrero Jr. will likely be displeased if it goes the wrong way in his eyes.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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