Yankees' Aaron Judge's MVP Chances Take Another Hit

To borrow a phrase from Lady Gaga, New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge stands at the edge of glory. The slugger is trying to win his second straight American League MVP Award. It would also be his third MVP in four seasons.

The list of Yankees legends to win three MVP Awards while wearing pinstripes is extraordinary: Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. That's it.

Problem is, Cal Raleigh doesn't care about that because he's too busy making history of his own. The Seattle Mariners star won the Home Run Derby Monday at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga. He was the first catcher in derby history to walk away with the title.

In addition, Raleigh's 38 home runs before the All-Star break is a new AL record and trails only Barry Bonds, who hit 39 for the San Francisco Giants before the Midsummer Classic in 2001.

Trying to say Raleigh will approach the 73 home runs Bonds hit that year is premature to say the least, foolish to say the most. But you get the point. Raleigh is having a season for the ages. Among those taking note is USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

"Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh’s historic homer pace makes the AL MVP race an absolute doozy against Yankees two-time MVP Aaron Judge," Nighengale wrote Sunday.

"Raleigh is putting on the greatest power-hitting exhibition by a catcher in history. ... When Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench won the NL MVP award in 1970, he hit 45 homers with 148 RBI, starting at five different positions," Nightengale added.

Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. owns the Mariners team record for home runs in a single season. The center fielder slugged 56 home runs in 1997 and 1998. In 1997, Griffey also set the team single-season record for RBIs with 147 while on his way to winning his only MVP Award.

Raleigh leads the majors this year with 82 RBIs, so both Seattle club records are in jeopardy. As is Judge's MVP chances if the 28-year-old backstop continues clearing fences at a record pace.

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