In Al Mvp Debate Only One Thing Is Clear Between Aaron Judge And Cal

Editor's note: This story originally published on Sept. 27, 2025. The sentiment remains. Everybody ... chill. *inhales AL MVP discourse … recoils in exasperation*

*looks around … leans in for more and smiles* With the 2025 MLB season complete, the AL MVP race remains one of the most compelling storylines of the year. The two front-runners, Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, were padding their résumés as the clock ticked down. On the final Friday of September, Judge went deep for the 52nd time in an 8-4 victory over the Orioles that kept the Yankees in contention for the AL East. It was his 84th extra-base hit of the year. Out west, Raleigh went 2-for-5 with a double in the Mariners' 3-2 loss to the Dodgers.

It was his ... 84th extra-base hit of the season. The next day, Judge hit home run No. 53. The American League MVP race between Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh was one of the closest in recent memory, and its outcome showed how uncertain baseball still is about what “value” really means. Judge’s elite metrics secured the trophy, but the debate around Raleigh’s record-breaking season made it clear that voters remain divided between raw production and total contribution.

Judge’s third MVP award came by a margin of just 20 points, earning 17 first-place votes to Raleigh’s 13. Two more flipped ballots would have resulted in a tie. The conversation wasn’t about who was more talented, but about how baseball defines value in an era that can measure almost everything. Judge’s case was built on dominant production. He led baseball with a .331 average, a .457 on-base percentage, and a .688 slugging mark. He hit 53 home runs and posted a 9.7 WAR, placing him just ahead of Raleigh and Shohei Ohtani.

His 204 OPS+ ranked among the best in modern history, matching the kind of efficiency Barry Bonds produced during his peak seasons. Those numbers carried the vote. Many saw Judge’s consistency and command of the strike zone as enough to outweigh positional factors. His performance met every definition of “most productive,” which for many voters still means “most valuable.” Raleigh became the first catcher in MLB history to reach 60 home runs, breaking single-season records for both his position and for switch-hitters. He caught 1,072 innings and did not allow a passed ball, while leading the Mariners to their first ALCS since 2001.

His 9.1 WAR ranked third in baseball, right behind Judge and Ohtani. Unlike in the National League, where Shohei Ohtani was unanimously voted as the league MVP, the result of the American League MVP award was always going to be more heavily disputed. There were two very worthy finalists in Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh, both of whom enjoyed fantastic seasons. In the end, Judge won. It’s hard to argue that he wasn’t deserving, even if there’s a laundry list of reasons Raleigh was also deserving. The decision from the Baseball Writers Association of America to select Judge was a narrow one.

The Yankees outfielder took home 17 of the 30 first-place votes, with Raleigh claiming the other 13. Neither player received a single vote below second place. Judge had 13 second-place votes, and Raleigh had 17. Judge won by 20 points, 355–335, in what was an incredibly close race. Judge’s second straight AL MVP win led to plenty of discussion on social media among MLB fans. There were mixed feelings about the result, with some supportive of the decision to name Judge MVP, due to his prolific hitting numbers, while others were upset, feeling that Raleigh was robbed after a...

Cal Raleigh finished as runner-up for the 2025 AL MVP Award#Mariners fans, we should forever cherish being able to watch one of the all-time seasons in franchise history in real time. 📸: @lindseywasson /AP Photo #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/Nzi1OvdtlH Cal Raleigh deserved the MVP award, in my opinion. I really hate that Judge won it. Catchers are chronically undervalued in today’s economy. Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh had historic seasons, but only one could win the AL MVP.

Steph Chambers / Getty Images By Tyler Kepner, Chandler Rome, Britt Ghiroli and Zack Meisel Plenty has changed about baseball. Little has changed about how voters are supposed to determine the league’s Most Valuable Player. From the official guidance given by the BBWAA: There is no clear-cut definition of what Most Valuable means.

It is up to the individual voter to decide who was the Most Valuable Player in each league to his team. The MVP need not come from a division winner or other playoff qualifier. The rules of the voting remain the same as they were written on the first ballot in 1931: The 2025 American League MVP race was flat-out wild. Two extraordinary but totally different players — Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh — went head-to-head and gave us one of the most intense MVP debates in recent memory. What does “most valuable” even mean?

Is it about record-breaking offense, or does it include the grind of defense, leadership, and playing tough positions? This year, baseball writers couldn’t agree, and honestly, that made the whole thing way more interesting. When it was all said and done, Aaron Judge took home the award. He racked up 17 first-place votes and finished with 355 points. Cal Raleigh had a strong showing too, pulling in 13 first-place votes. He came up just short, but the tight vote really says a lot about how split everyone felt.

Most years, there’s one guy with the gaudy stats who runs away with it. Not in 2025. Plenty has changed about baseball. Little has changed about how voters are supposed to determine the league’s Most Valuable Player. From the official guidance given by the BBWAA: There is no clear-cut definition of what Most Valuable means.

It is up to the individual voter to decide who was the Most Valuable Player in each league to his team. The MVP need not come from a division winner or other playoff qualifier. The rules of the voting remain the same as they were written on the first ballot in 1931: 1. Actual value of a player to his team, that is, strength of offense and defense. 3.

General character, disposition, loyalty and effort. Many Yankees fans still argue Aaron Judge was robbed of the AL MVP award in 2017, when it went to José Altuve. With Judge a perennial contender since, another debate was bound to surface. In 2025, it came in the form of a head-to-head race with Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. The showdown sparked endless arguments about batting average, home runs and just how much value a catcher can bring. For a while, Judge appeared to be pulling away as Raleigh slumped at the plate in August.

But a red-hot September from the “Big Dumper” reignited the conversation, even making him the favorite in the eyes of some voters. Ultimately, it was Judge who narrowly won his third award, earning 17 first-place votes to Raleigh's 13. The race is over, but the debate could rage on for years. Here are the key numbers from the AL MVP race between Judge and Raleigh.

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