{"id":113079,"date":"2026-01-28T21:34:41","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T02:34:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=113079"},"modified":"2026-01-28T21:34:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T02:34:41","slug":"3-2026-al-mvp-favorites-not-named-aaron-judge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/01\/28\/3-2026-al-mvp-favorites-not-named-aaron-judge\/","title":{"rendered":"3 2026 AL MVP Favorites (Not Named Aaron Judge)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aaron Judge<\/a> has spent the last several seasons redefining what an MVP looks like in the American League. When he\u2019s healthy, the award often feels spoken for\u2014towering home runs, league-leading power, and a gravitational pull that alters entire game plans.<\/p>\n

But baseball never stays static. Heading into the 2026 American League season, the MVP landscape is deeper, faster, and younger than ever. Remove Judge from the equation, and the race transforms into a referendum on complete players, two-way impact, and stars capable of carrying franchises into October.<\/p>\n

These three players aren\u2019t just next in line\u2014they\u2019re built to own the league.<\/p>\n

1. Bobby Witt Jr. \u2013 Kansas City Royals<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If there\u2019s a player designed for modern MVP voting, it\u2019s Bobby Witt Jr<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Witt blends elite bat speed, explosive athleticism, and game-changing defense into a single, relentless presence. He impacts every inning\u2014whether it\u2019s a leadoff double, a stolen base that rattles a pitcher, or a highlight-reel play at shortstop that erases a run.<\/p>\n

What makes Witt especially dangerous in the 2026 MVP race is trajectory. Each season, he\u2019s added another layer to his game, transforming from raw talent into a true franchise cornerstone. If the Royals<\/a> take even a modest step forward in the standings, Witt\u2019s all-around dominance<\/a> will become impossible to overlook.<\/p>\n

A 30\u201330 season with Gold Glove-caliber defense at a premium position doesn\u2019t just win MVPs\u2014it redefines them.<\/p>\n

2. Julio Rodr\u00edguez \u2013 Seattle Mariners<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"\"
Sep 29, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) celebrates after hitting an RBI single against the Oakland Athletics during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Julio Rodr\u00edguez<\/a> doesn\u2019t just play baseball\u2014he electrifies it.<\/p>\n

By 2026, Rodr\u00edguez is firmly in his prime, anchoring a Mariners<\/strong><\/a> lineup that increasingly reflects his personality: aggressive, powerful, and fearless. Few players in the league can change a game with one swing\u2014or one sprint around the bases\u2014the way Rodr\u00edguez can.<\/p>\n

What elevates Julio\u2019s MVP case is his ability to blend superstar production with leadership. He\u2019s not just the best player on the field; he\u2019s the emotional center of a team chasing sustained postseason success.<\/p>\n

If Rodr\u00edguez posts a season featuring 40 home runs, elite outfield defense, and top-tier run production, he becomes the face of the American League\u2014and a near-lock for MVP votes.<\/p>\n

3. Gunnar Henderson \u2013 Baltimore Orioles<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"\"
Sep 3, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) celebrates scoring a run against the Arizona Diamondbacks the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Every MVP race has a player who represents the future arriving ahead of schedule<\/a>. Gunnar Henderson<\/strong><\/a> is that player.<\/p>\n

Henderson\u2019s rise mirrors the Orioles<\/a>\u2019 resurgence: young, fearless, and built to last. His left-handed power plays in any park, his plate discipline continues to sharpen, and his defensive versatility allows him to impact games even when the bat cools.<\/p>\n

What makes Henderson\u2019s 2026 MVP case especially compelling is the lineup context. Batting in front of Pete Alonso\u2019s elite power\u2014and potentially Adley Rutschman, one of the best all-around catchers in baseball\u2014forces pitchers into impossible choices. Attack Henderson and risk damage behind him, or pitch around him and watch traffic pile up on the bases.<\/p>\n

That protection could unlock Henderson\u2019s most efficient offensive season yet: more pitches in the zone, more RBI opportunities, and fewer soft spots for opposing staffs to exploit. If Baltimore continues to contend in the brutal AL East, Henderson won\u2019t just be a star\u2014he\u2019ll be the engine.<\/p>\n

A season featuring 40-plus home runs, elite on-base numbers, and steady infield defense, paired with premium lineup protection, would make his MVP case overwhelming.<\/p>\n

The Last Word<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The 2026 AL MVP race won\u2019t belong to the loudest market or the biggest contract. It will belong to the player who d<\/strong>efines the season\u2014who shows up every night and tilts the standings in his team\u2019s favor.<\/p>\n

If Aaron Judge leaves even the smallest opening, Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodr\u00edguez, and Gunnar Henderson are ready to seize it.<\/p>\n

And when the season ends, one of them will stand as the new face of the American League.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aaron Judge has spent the last several seasons redefining what an MVP looks like in the American League. When he\u2019s healthy, the award often feels spoken for\u2014towering home runs, league-leading power, and a gravitational pull that alters entire game plans. But baseball never stays static. Heading into the 2026 American League season, the MVP landscape […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5710,"featured_media":86378,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"674","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,2,12,926,5,17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-113079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-orioles","category-featured","category-royals","category-milb","category-yankees","category-mariners"],"modified_by":"Eddie Lennon, Staff Writer","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113079","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5710"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113079"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113079\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":113081,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113079\/revisions\/113081"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}