The MVP award is given out each year to the best performing player in each league in the MLB. There are many talented and deserving players in the American League this year. Here are the 2023 MLB AL MVP Rankings for the month of June.
Shohei Ohtani, SP/DH, Los Angeles Angels
Avg: .269
OBP: .345
SLG: .538
HR: 15
RBI: 38
2B: 8
K/BB: 54/24
WAR: 2.7
W-L Record: 5-1
ERA: 2.91
K/BB (Pitcher): 90/28
The fact that Shohei Ohtani hasn’t been the unanimous MVP in each of the last few seasons is quite puzzling. What he is able to do on a baseball field is the definition of being the most valuable player to your team. Not only is he one of the best hitters in the game, with a threat to hit 30 home runs and steal 20 bases each year, but he is a Cy Young candidate as well.
Ohtani has the innate ability to take over the game on the mound as well as in the box. He currently has a sub 1 WHIP as well as 90 strikeouts on the mound. He pairs that with an ERA in the 2s and an OPS over .840. It is truly special what Ohtani is able to do on the baseball field. We may never see another 2-way player like him. If he can keep this up, he will be the 2023 MVP, marking his 2nd in 3 seasons.
Yordan Alvarez, DH/OF, Houston Astros
Avg: .283
OBP: .394
SLG: .590
HR:14
RBI:48
2B: 11
K/BB: 47/27
WAR: 1.8
Yordan Alvarez has been one of the best pure hitters in the MLB since his debut in 2019. He has an OPS near 1.000, mainly due to his OBP being near .400. He has been a near 1.000 OPS player for his entire career, which truly shows how talented he is. Alvarez ranks second in the MLB in RBI with near 50 runs batted in.
The sweet swinging lefty has been the Astros best player. Being the best player on one of the best teams in the MLB automatically puts a player in MVP contention. Alvarez has the ability to put together a great season where he leads the Astros to the playoffs. With those kinds of accomplishments, Yordan Alvarez will absolutely end up in the mix of AL MVP candidates as the season goes on.
Aaron Judge, OF, New York Yankees
Avg: .303
OBP: .413
SLG: .691
HR: 18
RBI: 39
2B: 10
K/BB: 59/33
WAR: 2.6
Aaron Judge didn’t get off to the start in 2023 the way that he would have liked. But that hasn’t stopped Judge from catching fire as of late. He absolutely owned the entire month of May, leaving him as a prime candidate to win the AL Player of the Month for May. In the month of May, he hit over .350 with 12 home runs and an OBP close to .500.
For Judge to win the award, he is going to need to have another legendary season. That is far from out of the realm of possibility. Judge lit the baseball world on fire last season, and he very well could do it again. With 18 home runs already, he runs the possibility of catching fire throughout the entire season. If he is able to tally 50 home runs, his name will be one of the best candidates to win the AL MVP.
Prediction: Shohei Ohtani, SP/DH, Los Angeles Angels
This is nothing against Judge or Alvarez. They are two amazing players that deserve recognition among the best players over the last few years. But they can only win this award if they are able to have legendary seasons, much like what Judge did last year. Ohtani has set the bar so incredibly high, and he deserves all the recognition he gets. With Ohtani showing no signs of regression, the 2023 AL MVP should reside in Los Angeles with the Japanese superstar.
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