Yankees' Aaron Judge named American League MVP in unanimous vote

It’s unanimous: Aaron Judge was the Most Valuable Player in the American League during the 2024 regular season.

Judge’s .184 batting average during the postseason and dropped fly ball in the fateful fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series don’t factor in.

The votes have to be in before the playoffs, and Judge’s epic regular season earned him all 30 first-place nods from the Baseball Writers Association of America in balloting announced on Thursday night.

It’s Judge’s second AL MVP. He also won the award in 2022, when Judge set the all-time AL single-season home run record with 62.

This regular season, Judge may have been even better.

In 2024, Judge hit “only” 58 home runs – most in the majors -- and his total body of work was outstanding. He hit .322 with an .458 on base percentage, .701 slugging percentage, a 1.159 OPS, a 223 OPS+ (100 is league average), 133 walks, 122 runs, 144 RBIs, and he even threw in 10 stolen bases and played most of the season in centerfield to accommodate Juan Soto in right.

Powered by Judge and the now-free agent Soto, the Yankees had the best record in the AL at 94-68. They beat the Royals in the ALDS and Guardians in the ALCS to win the AL pennant before falling to the Dodgers in five games in the World Series.

Judge’s shocking drop of a routine fly ball to center in the fifth inning of Game 5 – an inning in which the Yankees committed three errors and lost a 5-0 lead – that is one of the lasting images of his season.

Judge, oddly, did not participate in a planned conference call with members of the BBWAA on Thursday night. After a 20-minute delay, an operator said the conference call was not going to happen because Judge was not available.

Judge had just done TV spots with ESPN and MLB Network.

On ESPN, he was asked about his first World Series appearance as highlights played – not including the dropped ball.

“Didn't go our way,” Judge said. “Just hats off to a great Dodgers team . . . But just, I think, the experience, getting a chance to be there, get a little taste of it, we’ve got a young team over here, and all these guys are hungry . . . I think just getting a little taste of it, it's just going to continue to fuel this team and put us in the right position to finish the deal next year.”

Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. finished second with all 30 second-place votes. Soto was third.

“First I want to say just a quick shout out to Bobby Witt and my buddy Juan,” Judge said on MLB Network, “for just the seasons they had. Just incredible to watch. I got to watch one up close and a personal all season long. And, man, he's the best in the game for a reason. The same with Bobby Witt, seeing him the past couple years continue to develop, continue to get better. It's going to be fun to watch those two for years to come.”

Will Judge get to watch Soto as his teammate again?

“I would love it,” Judge said on ESPN. “I think a lot of New Yorkers would love it as well. Juan was a big part of our team this year and what we were able to accomplish, but he's got a big decision ahead of him. It's always tricky, this free agency stuff. You finally get an opportunity to pick where you want to play and set your family up for life. So I know he's definitely thinking about it, praying about it. He'll make the right decision.”

Judge became the second Yankee to win the MVP unanimously, joining Mickey Mantle in 1956. Judge is the seventh Yankee to win the award more than once, joining Joe DiMaggio (1939, '41, '47), Yogi Berra (1951, '54, '55), Mantle (1956, '57, '62), Lou Gehrig (1927, '36), Roger Maris (1960, '61) and Alex Rodriguez (2005, '07).

A Yankee has been named MVP 22 times, the most in baseball history since BBWAA voting began in 1931. The St. Louis Cardinals are second with 18.

“I want to congratulate Aaron on earning this distinguished honor, and I couldn’t be happier for such an amazing person and leader,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said in a statement. “After having a front row seat for his 2022 MVP performance, I really couldn’t envision a player having a better and more complete baseball season. But that’s exactly what he accomplished in 2024. I’m beyond fortunate to be able to manage Aaron, and I look forward to watching him further cement his legacy as one of this generation’s greatest players.”