Yankees’ Aaron Judge is in unfamiliar territory in recent AL MVP ranking originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Recently, the New York Yankees captain has been in a bit of a dry spell. Aaron Judge, who is the back-to-back Most Valuable Player of the American League, is not in the lead of a recent ranking by ESPN.

Advertisement

Instead, the slugger is sitting in a lowly sixth position, with an AXE rating of 127.4. Looking at who is ahead of him, he is not even the front-runner of his own team to take home the MVP award.

Outfielder Cody Bellinger, who is arguably having the better season between himself and Judge, is sitting in fourth with an AXE rating of 129.3. Bellinger has seven home runs, 33 RBIs, and an OPS of .863 this season.

Comparing that to Judge, who has launched 17 long balls, has 32 RBIs, and an OPS of .933, it is a close comparison. But, No. 99 should at least be the leading vote-getter of his own team.

Lately, Judge has been in a serious slump. Over his last eight games, he is hitting an abysmal .129 at the plate, and the Yankees have only been able to win half of those games. Much in large part to the waning factor of their best player.

Advertisement

This MVP vote is far from over, but the Yankees need to have their best player back to form. Judge is the captain of this squad, and he is the one who has to put them back in the World Series this upcoming October.

If No. 99 can pick it up, expect him to get back into that MVP conversation.

More MLB News: