2022 MLB MVP Predictions
The 2022 MLB season is nearing the end, and so is the MVP race.
One player will be crowned from both the American League and National League. There is a tight race for one side, and the other seems to be locked for who will be taking home the hardware.
Let’s start off in the American League where it is a very tight-knit race, one that is closer than in past years. This year, that race is between Aaron Judge of the Yankees and Shohei Ohtani of the Angels, who are both more than suited for the award.
Aaron Judge has been putting up record breaking numbers. With his last home run, he tied Babe Ruth for the single season home run record and has the potential of breaking it this season, along with a triple crown title. Judge currently leads the league in batting average (.316), home runs (60), and RBIs (128).
Ohtani, on the other hand, has been an absolute threat from both sides of the field this season, and has excelled at the plate in the second half of the season following the All-Star break.
He has hit 15 home runs since the break, and has been able to produce phenomenal numbers at the mound. Ohtani currently sits with an ERA of 2.43 which puts him in fifth for the American League in that category.
Despite Ohtani’s ability to perform on both sides and present himself as one of the most versatile players in all of baseball, Judge has been racking up notable numbers, and putting on a show we may never see again in the history of baseball.
With that being said, Judge looks like the best fit for this award for this season, and there is a high possibility he will be adding this piece of hardware to his collection, alongside his Rookie of the Year award he received in 2017.
On the National League side, it is a lot more clear who will be taking home the award, and there is not much stopping this player from taking the honors. This player, being Paul Goldschmidt of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Although an argument could be made for Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman who looks to capture his second MVP award, or even Nolan Arenado (COL) who himself has been a weapon on defense, Goldschmidt has been far too dominant on both ends for his impact to be overlooked. He plays a big part in why St. Louis will most likely clinch the playoffs.
Goldschmidt is the clear frontrunner in this side of the race, as he has impacted his team the most out of any of these players, both behind the plate and at first base this season. When it comes to who makes their team better as a whole, Goldschmidt is the man. The Dodgers are a solid team already, whereas the Cardinals benefit greatly from their All-Star first baseman.
Goldschmidt has the numbers at the plate that speak for themselves. He leads the National League in OPS soundly (1.008). Not to mention, he is on the path to his fifth Gold Glove Award in his career.
Regardless of who goes home with the hardware, it will inevitably be a nail biting contest, and fans will have to wait for the season to close before seeing the results.
The MVP winners for both leagues are expected to be crowned in November, yet a specific date for the award ceremony has yet to be announced.
Brendan Conroy is a third-year studying Broadcast Journalism. To contact him email him at brc5392@psu.edu.
