Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers remain at the top of MLB.com’s latest Most Valuable Player poll, continuing their leadership from previous months. However, recent developments may affect the American League race.
Some votes in this month’s poll were cast before it was announced that Judge is dealing with a flexor strain in his right elbow. He was placed on the injured list and will miss at least 10 days, though the UCL in his elbow remains intact. The team hopes for only a minimum stay on the injured list before Judge returns as designated hitter.
Despite a recent slump—going 4-for-28 before being sidelined—Judge continues to lead Major League Baseball in batting average (.342), on-base percentage (.449), and slugging percentage (.711). He has hit 37 home runs, trailing only Cal Raleigh among American League players.
Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners is gaining momentum, increasing his first-place vote count in each successive poll. Raleigh became both the first catcher and switch-hitter to reach 40 home runs before August, surpassing records for catchers set by Salvador Perez in 2021.
José RamÃrez of the Cleveland Guardians maintains his reputation with another strong season, achieving at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases for a seventh consecutive full season. He is also approaching franchise records for extra-base hits.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal has improved upon his Cy Young Award-winning performance from last year, lowering his ERA to 2.09 and raising his strikeout rate to 33.8%. Skubal could become an MVP finalist, a rare achievement for pitchers since Clayton Kershaw won in 2012.
Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals remains valuable due to strong defense and baserunning, despite offensive numbers below last year’s totals. His fielding metrics lead AL shortstops, while his baserunning ranks him seventh in steals across Major League Baseball.
Other players receiving votes include Byron Buxton (Twins), Riley Greene (Tigers), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays), George Springer (Blue Jays), Nick Kurtz (Athletics), Julio RodrÃguez (Mariners), and Junior Caminero (Rays).
In the National League, Shohei Ohtani leads with 26 first-place votes as he aims for a third consecutive MVP award. Last week he tied a Dodgers record by homering in five straight games; he leads the league with 38 home runs and a .998 OPS while also pitching effectively.
Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs has exceeded power expectations with 27 home runs so far this season and is on pace to join or surpass milestones previously reached only by Sammy Sosa among Cubs players.
Juan Soto of the New York Mets has surged recently with one of baseball’s best offensive performances since June, leading all qualified hitters with a .425 on-base percentage during that span.
Kyle Schwarber’s July performance has propelled him into NL MVP consideration for Philadelphia after hitting more home runs than any other NL player this month.
Kyle Tucker also stands out among Cubs outfielders despite being overshadowed by teammates’ performances; he currently holds an impressive wRC+ and fWAR rating.
Other NL players receiving votes are Fernando Tatis Jr., Will Smith, Paul Skenes, Pete Alonso, Corbin Carroll, Eugenio Suárez, Elly De La Cruz, Trea Turner, Manny Machado, James Wood, Seiya Suzuki, Zack Wheeler, Ketel Marte, and Kyle Stowers.
