It’s impossible to overlook the incredible season New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge had in 2025. Judge finished the season with a .331 batting average, 1.144 OPS and 9.7 WAR, leading all of MLB in each statistic. Not only did Judge lead MLB in these categories, but he did so by large margins proving that he was truly on a different level from everyone else this season.
Judge hit an impressive 53 home runs, good for fourth most in MLB and second most in the American League. This impressive feat also broke the record for most home runs hit by a batting champion in MLB history, previously held by Mickey Mantle who hit 52 home runs in his triple crown season in 1956. Judge has proven to be someone who can hit for power and average, which has become uncommon in recent years.
Judge was in a tight race for AL MVP with Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh as the regular season came to a close. Raleigh hit 60 home runs, two short of the American League record. Judge may have been beaten in home runs and RBIs, but he is ahead of Raleigh in every other important statistic and he’s still in the top five in MLB in home runs and RBIs. Raleigh certainly showed he’s a great power hitter, but he didn’t hit for a batting average anywhere close to Judge, nor was he able to get on base as consistently. Judge had a .457 on base percentage which led the MLB by a whopping 58 points. On the other hand, Raleigh had a .359 on base percentage which simply isn’t on the same level as what Judge did this season.
Judge was a key part of the Yankees’ success this season, as he has been for basically his entire career. He made several exceptional plays in right field such as a home run robbery on July 11 against the Chicago Cubs. His ability to get on base better than anyone was a crucial piece of the Yankees’ offense. When the Yankees offense was struggling, Judge served as a spark to get the rest of the team going. He is also a batter that pitchers are understandably afraid of. Judge got an AL leading 124 walks which contributed to him having an on base percentage far greater than anyone else.
When deciding on this year’s AL MVP, there may be some voters that are too focused on Raleigh’s 60 home run season. It’s certainly an impressive achievement that’s only been done a handful of times, but Judge beat out Raleigh in almost every other statistic while still placing top five in MLB in home runs. Judge is a unique player in baseball where he can consistently beat a pitcher in many ways, whether that’s with a basic single or smashing a ball out of the park. Judge can do it all and he’s more than deserving of his third MVP award.
Raiyan: Cal Raleigh
Nobody truly expected the absolutely historic season that Seattle Mariners designated hitter and catcher Raleigh would have in the 2025 MLB regular season. He was the main force propelling the Mariners to a 90-72 record and a guaranteed spot in the ALDS, the first time the Mariners have achieved this feat since 2001.
Raleigh hit 60 home runs, joining an elite group of hitters to have 60 or more in the regular season, becoming the first ever catcher in this group. Also, 60 is notably larger than Judge’s total of 53. Each home run was scored around an average of every 9.9 ABs, which leads the league, according to Pro Baseball Reference. He also had 125 RBIs, an OPS of .959, a SLG of .589, an OBP of .359, 161 wRC+ and 7.3 WAR. Though Raleigh only leads the MLB in RBIs, he is generally highly ranked in many statistical categories, especially when considering only the AL.
We all know, however, that stats do not tell the full picture, and that is especially true for Raleigh. It may be difficult to hear for some, but the fact that he was a good catcher is a major advantage over Judge’s exceptional regular season out fielding. The physical and mental toll that playing catcher entails is difficult to elucidate properly, but most baseball players would agree it’s one of the hardest positions to play on defense.
Catchers do a lot of work in lowering the runs and general stats of opposing hitters, something that cannot be clearly recorded on a stat sheet. Raleigh’s true value to the Mariners is therefore difficult to truly define, but it is assuredly understated and under recorded. Ultimately, Raleigh excellently played a difficult position that limits opponents’ offense while producing outstanding offensive numbers himself. Outside of Raleigh’s upcoming seasons, we may never see such a brilliant performance from a catcher ever again. It is a year worth crowning with an MVP award.
One final area in which Raleigh far exceeds Judge is nicknames. Though Judge’s most popular moniker is a misspelling of his name that would constitute a crime in most places, Raleigh has been fittingly named “Big Dumper.” If the esteemed members of the Baseball Writers Association of America take a truly holistic view of this MVP race, Judge may not stand a chance.