Who will get the 2023 AL MVP Award? This is probably the most curious question coming into fans’ minds. However, as the answer is already written and no one can read it, one can only predict the names of those who might be announced as the next season’s MVP winner.
For the 2022 season, one must be aware of who got served with the deserving honor. Aaron Judge owns the crown of the 2022 Al MVP as he passed the very interesting historic record-breaking season. But will he be able to clinch the crown also in 2023? Let’s look at the following candidates who will be named first for being the top contenders for the 2023 Al MVP.
At First, Aaron Judge.
Aaron Judge is the name that everyone must be expecting to read. He literally smashed the 2022 season and broke the record for most home runs in a season. Beating Roger Maris‘ record, Judge made 62 home runs which ultimately made him as worthy as Derek Jeter was. Aaron Judge finally became the captain of the Yankees. Not only that, but by becoming a free agent by the end of the season, he created a contract in the entire MLB.
Teams who never thought of Aaron also saw it as an opportunity to hire him. Indeed, it was the 62 home runs that made him worthy of the most expensive contract of $400 million offered by the San Diego Padres.
At first, the Yankees offered $213.6 million, which Aaron refused to accept. He again refused the deal of $250, and again, $300 million was rejected. This behavior of the Judge made one thing very clear. He was looking for something big, something like a 9-year contract with a huge amount more. So, the Giants stepped in with everything he demanded. Everyone thought Judge has got no reason to refuse San Fransisco. Also, when TIME took his interview, Aaron Judge showed his anger at Yankees manager Brian Cashman because he revealed the details of Judge’s contract, which was promised to be kept secret.
Aaron Has Everything That Can Make Him Another MVP
Till the last moment, Giants had Aaron Judge. But just then, San Diego Padres came in with the elongated and most expensive 10-year $400 million deal. So, there were quite good options available to Judge; in the end, the Yankees were at a $360 million 9-year offer, and the Giants were at whatever Judge demanded. But neither the Giants nor the Padres had the slugger’s LEGACY. Yankees had Aaron Judge’s legacy, which finally tempted him to resign the contract and return back to the Bronx Bombers, ultimately becoming the team’s captain. These demands and popularity of the player somehow suggest that he has everything that can again make him the MVP.
Rafael Devers & Shohei Ohtani, Comes Second Third
The Boston Red Sox player Rafael Devers too, created a kind of chaos when he became a free agent after spending a decade in Beantown. Many teams tried on him, but eventually, San Deigo Padres got him with a $280 million 11-year deal. Now, Devers will stay in Boston forever.
Another important contender for the 2023 Al MVP is non-other than Shohei Ohtani. The Los Angeles player Shohei Ohtani just missed the opportunity of 2022 MVP to Aaron Judge. Otherwise, no one would have stopped him from becoming the MVP of the last season. He posted 32 home runs and 95 RBIs which can become more than enough next year to call him the MVP.