MLB Opening Day 2023: Shohei Ohtani and early AL MVP candidates

The moment all baseball fans were waiting for is finally here. The 2023 Major League Baseball season has started, and it seems like it has beenforever since we last saw the best players on Earth take the field.

As you may know by now, the American League will feature plenty of talent, with some of the strongest candidates, like the Houston Astros or New York Yankees, going toe-to-toe for a World Series ticket.

With the 2023 Major League Baseball season already underway, let’s take a look at the top three candidates to win MVP in the American League. Needless to say, you won’t find many shocking names in this list.

MLB 2023: Top 3 AL MVP Candidates

3. Mike Trout

Mike Trout — Getty Images

Death, taxes, and Mike Trout being an MVP candidate. It’s been a while since he’s been healthy throughout a full season, but Trout always makes a strong case for being the best player on Earth when he’s on the field.

Even though the Los Angeles Angeles have usually been bottom-feeders, Trout is a generational talent, and there’s nothing he can’t do out there, as he proved by leading Team USA to the WBC Final.

2. Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge — Getty Images

The reigning American League MVP makes the list again, which doesn’t seem like a surprise at all. Of course, he might not have the pressure of playing on a contract year, but there’s still plenty on the table for Aaron Judge.

The New York Yankees haven’t won the World Series since 2009, and they’re banking most of their success on Judge. He’s their new captain, so motivation will be at an all-time high for him this season.

1. Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani — Getty Images

Shohei Ohtani is the most spectacular player in all of baseball, and we’re not just talking about Major League Baseball. He’s the most unique player of all time, a modern-day Babe Ruth that looks like something created in a laboratory.

Ohtani can strike you out with a 100 mph fastball and then hit a ball 400 feet and outside of the park, all in the same day. He’s the frontrunner to win MVP for a good reason, and it’ll be tough to overtake him.