“He’s a special talent for sure” - Aaron Judge names Gunnar Henderson as 1 player he would want to play alongside

New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge said that Gunnar Henderson is the player that he is most excited to be teammates with at the 2024 MLB All-Star Game. Judge highlighted Henderson's all-around abilities and believes that the Baltimore Orioles shortstop is a special talent.

Aaron Judge is making his sixth appearance at the All-Star Game after posting phenomenal numbers in the opening half of the season. Judge leads the MLB with 34 home runs, 85 RBIs and a 1.112 OPS. Meanwhile, Gunnar Henderson earned his maiden call-up to the Midsummer Classic this year after hitting .286/.373/.584 with 28 home runs. His 6.3 bWAR is only a tick below Judge at the moment.

The festivities for the All-Star Game began on Monday as players and coaches arrived at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, for the showpiece event. Later on, they talked to reporters on Media Day, where Judge was a man in demand. Among the many questions he faced, the Yankees captain was asked about the player that he was most looking forward to being teammates with:

"I just watched him because we just played in Baltimore. It's Gunnar Henderson," Judge replied.

"I have seen him what he has done for them. They are in first place, doing their thing. It's just impressive to watch, at-bat after at-bat. He works his walks, he plays great defence, hits the ball out of the park, hits for average, great instincts on the basepaths. He is a special talent," Judge added.

The Baltimore Orioles (58-38) and New York Yankees (58-40) are locked in a fierce battle for the top spot in the American League East. The Orioles currently hold a two-game lead after beating the Yankees in their final game before the All-Star break.

Aaron Judge and Gunnar Henderson are frontrunners for AL MVP

Aaron Judge marked out Gunnar Henderson as the player he was most looking forward to be teammates with at the 2024 All-Star Game

As things stand, Aaron Judge and Gunnar Henderson are by far the two leading contenders to win the AL MVP award this year. Judge has already compiled 6.4 bWAR for the season, which is the highest among all MLB players this year. He has also broken the franchise record for the most home runs before the All-Star break and is on pace to break his AL single-season record in 2022.

Meanwhile, Gunnar Henderson could emulate Judge by joining a select group of players to have won the Rookie of the Year award before going on to become an MVP. Henderson has only one point fewer bWAR than the 2022 MVP while hitting 28 home runs, which is the most among all MLB infielders. He leads the league with 78 runs scored and also has 63 RBIs despite batting leadoff.

Therefore, it seems quite certain that the AL MVP will be one of these two teammates at the 2024 All-Star game.