"Coming back for that MVP" - Yankees fans elated as captain Aaron Judge drives in run at very first at-bat of spring training

Aaron Judge is healthy once again, and that likely means a big season is coming. He's pretty much had great seasons every single year since he entered the league, though a few of them have sadly been marred by injury. As a result, he's a true MVP candidate basically every year.

If his first spring at bat is any indication, it will certainly be a good year. He ripped a single to left center to drive in a run in his first swings since last October. Fans are more than excited about what this might portend.

Had it not been for a two-month hiatus after crashing into the wall to make a catch against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he likely would have had another epic duel with Shohei Ohtani for the MVP last year. As it stood, he was top five in a ton of AL metrics anyway.

This year, Ohtani is in the National League, and Judge already looks great. He's healthy as well, which is the key factor for his MVP candidacy. For Yankees fans, it could well be a fun season.

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Aaron Judge's MVP chances in 2024

As mentioned, the American League is down one presumptive MVP now. With Ohtani playing with the Dodgers, the field is a bit more open, but Aaron Judge should always be up for the award.

Aaron Judge has the best AL MVP odds right now

There's a lot of talent in the league, but Judge currently has the best odds in the league at +550. That is, ironically, slightly above his new teammate Juan Soto, who has +600 odds.

Beyond that is perennial candidate Yordan Alvarez at +800. Corey Seager, Julio Rodriguez, Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Kyle Tucker and Mike Trout also have good odds.

It should be a fun race, but it's impossible to count Judge out. If he can stay healthy, he's an almost unstoppable force at the plate. Combine that with solid outfield defense and it's easy to see why he's going to be an MVP candidate. His strong start to spring may mean nothing, but it might also be a good omen.