NEW YORK – Around mid-to-late August, with Aaron Judge batting . 334 and leading the majors in home runs, Gerrit Cole was asked to assess the Yankees captain’s season. “I mean, it’s so impressive because when you look around the league and you see guys with high batting averages,” the Yankees’ ace said, “there’s a fair amount of bunt hits and infield hits.

“This guy is sitting at . 330 and I’m not quite sure he has an infield hit all year,’’ Cole added. “I mean, they’re all doubles and homers.

’’Judge finished the regular season as MLB’s leader in homers (58), RBI (144), on-base percentage (. 458), slugging percentage (. 701), walks (133) and, if you like, adjusted OPS-plus (223).

That should add up to another AL MVP Award for Judge, 32, who awaits the final ballot reveal of 30 members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (two in each AL city). The suspense, if there is any, will end around 6:15 p. m.

, Thursday night, with the announcement to be aired live on MLB Network. Aaron Judge in the company of Yankees legendsJudge’s closest competition is Bobby Witt Jr. , the terrific Kansas City Royals shortstop, and Judge’s 2024 Yankees teammate Juan Soto…more about him in a moment.

But if all goes as expected, this will be the updated list of multiple Yankees MVP winners:Yankees multiple MVP Award winnersAaron Judge (2022, 2024)Alex Rodriguez (2005, 2007)Roger Maris (1960, 1961)Mickey Mantle (1956, 1957, 1962)Yogi Berra (1951, 1954, 1955)Joe DiMaggio (1939, 1941, 1947)Lou Gehrig (1927*, 1936)MVP Award, in its current form, was established in 1931Gehrig won a league award in 1927, in a period where previous winners were not eligible to win again – thus making Babe Ruth, the 1923 winner, ineligible. Anyway, this is serious company and fairly cements Judge’s place among the indelible Yankees. Will Yankees pair Aaron Judge and Juan Soto in 2025?

Of course, what’s missing on the Monument Park plaque – so far – is a world championship or two, and the pursuit of Soto will impact Judge in one way or another. “I’m proud of the year that Juan had. It was fun to come to work with him every single day,’’ Judge said after that bitter, brutal Game 5 defeat, losing the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In that mostly quiet, hugs-and-goodbyes postgame home clubhouse at Yankee Stadium, the reality of Soto’s free agency had crash-landed on the organization. Earlier this week, owner Hal Steinbrenner and GM Brian Cashman led the Yankees’ executive group into a cordial meeting with Soto and agent Scott Boras (the Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Dodgers had similar meetings, and reportedly the Phillies are next). Judge will turn 33 in April; Soto just turned 26, and together they put together an historic pinstriped offensive season in 2024.

Judge and Soto became the third set of Yankees teammates to each hit at least 40 homers in the same season, joining Maris and Mantle in ’61 and Gehrig and Ruth, who did it three times. “Even when the guy was hitting . 320, I’d see him hitting late after the games if he had an 0-for,’’ Judge said of Soto, late on that final night of the year.

“He was showing up early, doing work. ’’Judge was the AL MVP of the 2024 regular season, and Soto is the MVP of this offseason, which is just about to get interesting. This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.