For nearly a decade, baseball fans had a running joke: the MLB season didn't truly begin until Mike Trout topped the WAR leaderboard. It was a nod to his dominance—no matter how hot others started, Trout inevitably reigned supreme by season's end.

Fast forward to 2026, and it's time for an update. Meet Bobby Witt Jr., the new face of that adage. If you check Fangraphs or Baseball-Reference, you'll see Witt has already piled up more Wins Above Replacement than any other American League player. The season, as they say, has officially started.

Kevin O'Brien of Royals Keep recently highlighted Witt's season batting percentiles on Bluesky, sparking the question: could this finally be the year Witt captures the MVP? Sure, it's only May, but leading the league in WAR this early is no small feat. Is the award his to lose? Is his moment finally here?

But Kevin also noted something worth unpacking: "Witt doesn't have the home runs (yet)." That line stuck. While Witt is undeniably an elite, all-around talent, his power numbers—or lack thereof—deserve a closer look when discussing MVP chances.

The MVP debate has always been layered. Is it about sheer statistical value or impact on team success? How much do positional difficulty and past winners matter? What about pitchers? The Baseball Writers' Association of America tends to treat the award as a "best player" honor, rarely giving it to a pitcher unless they're undeniably the top performer. So where does that leave Witt?

With his WAR leading the pack and his all-around brilliance on display, Witt is making a strong case. But as history shows, MVP voters often lean toward power hitters with gaudy home run totals. For now, Witt's path to the trophy might hinge on whether he can add a few more long balls to his résumé—or redefine what "valuable" truly means.