MLB News Roundup: New York Yankees star Aaron Judge extends lead in AL MVP race; Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Kevin Pillar undergoes potential season-ending surgery - June 7, 2022

As the 2022 MLB season rolls on through June, the updates continue to come in fast and furiously. With teams like the New York Yankees and New York Mets dominating their respective leagues, the stars of the teams are being given an ample amount of respect.

The summer months of the MLB are always the most important, as it is the time for teams to really hone their strengths and begin to separate themselves from the pack. While injuries can bog down this process, they are an unfortunate part of the equation and have to be overcome.

So let's get to the biggest MLB news stories of the day.

MLB News - June 7

Aaron Judge is the AL MVP frontrunner

New York Yankees v Kansas City Royals

While individual accolades may motivate Aaron Judge, given that he will be a free agent at the conclusion of the 2022 season, an MVP trophy on his mantle would increase his value in negotiations.

This increase in value was reported on by MLB insider Jon Heyman via a tweet.

"The verdict is in. Pay the man" - @ Jon Heyman

Aaron Judge leads the MLB in several offensive statistics, including home runs, slugging percentage, and now OPS. OPS is a combination of slugging and on-base percentage and is considered by some to be the best measure of a player's effectiveness.

This tweet from Yankees Muse contextualizes just how good the slugger has been for the New York Yankees this season.

"Players in MLB this year to have 15+ HR’s, 1.000+ OPS, and a .300+ AVG: Aaron Judge. That’s the list" - @ Yankees Muse

As Aaron Judge continues to set himself apart from the rest of the league, his team continues to dominate the American League East, with a seven-game lead over the second-placed Toronto Blue Jays and an eight-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Kevin Pillar undergoes shoulder surgery

Pittsburgh Pirates v Los Angeles Dodgers

Troubling injury news is the worst part of sports, and Kevin Pillar might be the most unlucky player in baseball. Surgery to repair his fractured shoulder will likely end his season. The Los Angeles Dodgers hoped they were getting a great depth piece in Kevin Pillar, but now it seems like his four games in uniform for the team will be all in 2022.

Kevin Pillar took to Twitter to provide an update for his fans.

"Not sure the exact time table of my recovery but like always I plan to be back as quickly as possible." - @ Kevin Pillar

Kevin Pillar fulfilled his childhood dream when he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and seeing his season end like this is simply brutal.

The star outfielder earned the nickname "Superman" for his incredible defensive plays during hit time with the Toronto Blue Jays. Some of his best catches were posted to YouTube by the MLB, seen below.

Injury news like this is always heartbreaking, especially for a long-time veteran like Kevin Pillar, but the hope is that he can make a full recovery and resume living out his childhood dream as soon as possible.

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