Can this AL shortstop dethrone Aaron Judge for the MVP?

Bobby Witt Jr. has emerged as a serious contender for the AL MVP in a season dominated by Aaron Judge. Entering Thursday, Witt sits at a strong 7.5 bWAR with DraftKings placing him at +550 odds, only behind Judge.

The Royals shortstop is showing why he deserves to be in the conversation. Witt leads the majors in runs (99), average (.349), hits (162) and total bases (281). And his performance Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium was another reminder of his rising star power. He homered twice and delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the Royals’ 8-4 win over the Red Sox, salvaging a series that kept Kansas City in the third wild-card slot of the playoff race.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who watched Witt tear through his pitching staff, had high praise.

“That kid is special," he told MLB.com's Anne Rogers. "He's special. The way he conducts himself, the way he plays the game is a joy from our dugout. I hate it, but I love it.”

Witt’s excellence isn’t limited to the plate. Defensively, according to Baseball Savant, he ranks in the 99th percentile in Fielding Run Value, a stark contrast to Judge’s 28th percentile . Witt’s all-around game makes him a more complete player than Judge, who has taken on more DH duties, appearing there 17 times since July 1 — already one more than his total for the first three months of the season.

However, Judge remains a formidable foe. With 7.9 bWAR, he leads the majors in nearly every significant offensive category, including home runs, RBI, walks, OBP, SLG, and OPS+. Simply put, Judge is the best hitter in baseball.

But Witt Jr. has something Judge doesn’t — momentum. As the Royals push for a playoff spot, chants of “MVP” are becoming a regular occurrence when Witt steps to the plate.

The Royals, currently four games back of the AL Central-leading Guardians, face the second-hardest remaining schedule in the league, according to Tankathon . While this uphill battle could be daunting, it also gives Witt Jr. a stage to showcase his talent against top competition.

The only Royals player to ever win the MVP award is George Brett, who edged out the Yankees' Reggie Jackson in 1980 .

If the Royals can make a late-season surge and overtake the Guardians, Witt Jr. might just find himself with the MVP trophy in hand. Judge may be the frontrunner, but Witt is making it clear that the race is far from over.