{"id":58650,"date":"2023-06-08T14:00:24","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T18:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=58650"},"modified":"2023-06-07T20:54:14","modified_gmt":"2023-06-08T00:54:14","slug":"american-league-mvp-favorites-thus-far","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2023\/06\/08\/american-league-mvp-favorites-thus-far\/","title":{"rendered":"American League MVP Favorites Thus Far"},"content":{"rendered":"

Now that we are two months into the MLB season, the MVP Race in the American League is heating up. Aaron Judge<\/a> won last year and has been struggling to remain healthy. The list of pitchers at the top of the American League is different from years past. The current list of players is arranged by the highest current WAR to the lowest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wander Franco<\/a><\/span><\/h2>\n

The Tampa Bay Rays<\/a> have been an exciting team to watch this season. After starting with a crazy unbeaten streak, they have soared to the top of the American League East. One of the biggest reasons for that is shortstop Wander Franco. Currently, the 22-year-old is hitting .309\/.374\/.500. On the base path, he is a menace, stealing 21 bases. His career total was 10 coming into the season. Defensively he has given his fair share of highlights. Currently, he leads the majors in WAR (Wins Above Replacement) at 3.9. If Wander Franco were to win MVP, he would be the youngest to win since Cal Ripken Jr.<\/a> won at <\/span>22<\/span><\/a> in 1983.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Wander Franco is putting up video game numbers IRL. \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n

(MLB x @XboxGamePass<\/a>) pic.twitter.com\/1FOZWnLHTk<\/a><\/p>\n

— MLB (@MLB) June 7, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n