In a season that saw him shatter records and carry the New York Yankees to the brink of glory, slugger Aaron Judge added yet another accolade to his glittering resume on Thursday: a second American League Most Valuable Player award, bestowed by a unanimous vote.
The 30-year-old outfielder, whose colossal frame and prodigious power have drawn comparisons to some of baseball’s all-time greats, captured all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The honor cements Judge’s status as the unquestioned king of the Junior Circuit and one of the sport’s most captivating superstars.
A Season for the Ages
Judge’s 2024 campaign was nothing short of historic. The towering Yankee paced the majors in virtually every offensive category, launching a staggering 58 home runs while driving in 144 runs and posting a stratospheric 1.159 OPS. His 11.2 wins above replacement, as calculated by FanGraphs, led all of baseball.
It was a season of sustained brilliance and shattered records. Judge’s 223 adjusted OPS was the highest mark ever recorded by a right-handed hitter, surpassing the legendary totals amassed by inner-circle Hall of Famers like Jimmie Foxx and Rogers Hornsby. Only Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds have ever combined Judge’s rare blend of power and plate discipline over a full season.
What Aaron did this year, I’ve never seen anything like it. He carried us all season long.
– Anonymous Yankees teammate
Chasing History, Eyeing Immortality
Judge’s 2022 season, when he clubbed an American League record 62 home runs but was narrowly edged for MVP honors by Shohei Ohtani’s two-way brilliance, was a tough act to follow. Remarkably, his 2024 encore was even more impressive.
Hitting behind off-season acquisition Juan Soto in a fearsome Yankees lineup, Judge posted a sizzling .322/.458/.701 batting line, improving his performance in virtually every offensive category. Of his 58 round-trippers, an astonishing 23 gave the Yankees the lead, repeatedly bailing out an underperforming pitching staff.
We knew every time he stepped up there, he could change the game with one swing. He was our constant. Our rock.
– Yankees manager Aaron Boone
Stepping Out of Shadows
Judge’s production was so obvious, so undeniable, that his fellow finalists – Bobby Witt Jr. and Juan Soto – didn’t even appear on MLB Network’s award presentation. As Yankees legend Derek Jeter read Judge’s name, a coronation years in the making was finally complete.
Since bursting onto the scene with a record-setting rookie campaign in 2017, Judge has been the game’s most devastating slugger – when healthy. Despite missing significant chunks of 2018, 2020, and 2023 due to injury, Judge leads the sport in home runs, wins above replacement, and a host of advanced metrics since his debut.
| Category | Total (2017-2024) | MLB Rank |
| Home Runs | 311 | 1st |
| WAR | 51.4 | 1st |
| Slugging Pct | .611 | 1st |
| wRC+ | 176 | 1st |
Now, with his place in Yankees lore secure and his status as an all-time great increasingly certain, Judge turns his gaze toward a future filled with possibility – and uncertainty.
Unfinished Business
For all his individual glory, Judge has yet to experience the ultimate team triumph. The Yankees’ quest to end a World Series drought that now spans 13 seasons fell painfully short again this year, as the 110-win Bombers were dispatched by the Dodgers in a tense, drama-filled Fall Classic.
Judge struggled mightily under the bright October lights, managing just four hits in 18 at-bats while committing a costly outfield error that swung the series. It was a sour end to a magical season, one that will no doubt fuel his legendary competitive fire.
This one’s going to sting for a while. I’ll never be satisfied until we’re the last team standing.
– Aaron Judge, reflecting on the World Series loss
The Road Ahead
As he ponders his impending free agency and potential record-setting contract offers, Judge must now decide where his future lies. Will he remain in the Bronx, the only professional home he’s ever known, and try to deliver title No. 28 to the YES Network’s salivating fanbase? Or will he seek a new challenge, perhaps returning to his California roots to anchor a young, exciting roster?
Wherever he lands, one thing is certain: Aaron Judge, the newly minted two-time Most Valuable Player, will continue to electrify fans, torment pitchers, and etch his name ever deeper into baseball’s hallowed record books. His reign as the Sultan of Swat, the Colossus of Clout, the King of Crash – and now, the unquestioned MVP – has only just begun.
