Aaron Judge, Mike Trout among AL’s early MVP candidates

The New York Yankees shut out the Chicago Cubs at home Saturday, 8-0, in large part thanks to Aaron Judge‘s two home runs and three RBIs on three at-bats.

The Yankees slugger, who recently turned down a contract extension worth more than $213 million, has incredibly smashed seven more home runs (24) than another other MLB player through a quarter of the season. 

At this rate, he’s on pace to have more than 64 home runs and 130 RBIs.

Aaron Judge hits his league-leading 24th HR

New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge hit his MLB-leading 24th home run to help beat the Cubs.

Such incredible play is naturally going to lead to MVP talk, and FOX Sports’ MLB Studio Analyst Dontrelle Willis took a shot at ranking the top five candidates in the American League.

Let’s break it down.

5. José Ramírez, 3B, Cleveland Guardians

Key stats: Ramírez, 29, leads the league in RBIs with 56. He’s tied for the fifth-most home runs (16) and his .293 batting average is the 22nd-best in MLB. What’s more, his nine stolen bases are the third-most among third basemen.

Willis’ thoughts: “He’s one of the best switch-hitters in our game. Single-handedly keeping the Guardians in that AL Central race. There’s nothing he can’t do on both sides of the baseball. Listen, you keep that man healthy — he’s gotta keep them in the race.”

4. Yordan Álvarez, LF, Houston Astros 

Key stats: Álvarez’s 17 home runs are tied for the second-most in the league. The 24-year-old outfielder’s .302 batting average is the 16th-best in the league, while his 39 RBIs are tied for the 13th-most.

Willis’ thoughts: “He’s the single reason why the Astros let Carlos Correa walk. I mean, you put him in the teeth of the lineup — he can hit lefties, he can hit right-handers. He has power from line to line. [He is] second in the American League in OPS in home runs. He continues to get his foot down.”

3. Mike Trout, CF, Los Angeles Angels 

Key stats: The Angels recently endured a 14-game losing streak. Thus far in the month of June, Trout has six hits on 25 at-bats through eight games. His .294 batting average is the 21st-best in the league, while his 1.036 OPS is tied for second with Ramirez. He is having a down year, but the 30-year-old veteran is a nine-time All-Star, three-time AL MVP and eight-time Silver Slugger.

Willis’ thoughts: “[He is] fifth in the American League in slugging percentage. Listen, I think that those numbers are gonna go up, and they have to go up to keep the Angels in the AL West fight.”

2. Rafael Devers, 3B, Boston Red Sox 

Key stats: Devers boasts a league-leading 82 hits this season, along with the third-best batting average (.335) and the eighth-best OPS (.967). The 25-year-old has 13 home runs on the season.

Willis’ thoughts: “One of the best pure hitters in our game. He can hit righties, he can hit lefties. He’s first in hits [and] first in total bases. [The Red Sox] are gonna have to pay him in Boston, so they have a problem on their hands. They cannot see him walking. Also, he has a flare for the dramatics. [He] always seems to be at the plate and come up with the big hits when the Red Sox need him.”

1. Aaron Judge, CF, New York Yankees

Key stats: Judge, 30, leads the league in OPS (1.079) and home runs (24). He is also third in RBIs (48) and 10th in batting average (.313). He has 14 hits, including six home runs, on 39 at-bats in the month of June alone, which has helped the Yankees win 10 of their past 11 games.

Willis’ thoughts: “Aaron Judge leads the league in home runs. There’s nothing that he cannot do. He plays right field, now he plays center field. [He] has a cannon. … He does it all, rightfully so. [He is a] pure hitter, and when he’s healthy, one of the best threats in all of baseball.”