Shouldn T Be The Mvp Aaron Judge Faces Harsh Snub Yardbarker

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 18, 2025, 11:48 AM

shouldn t be the mvp aaron judge faces harsh snub yardbarker

The 2025 season has been historic for Aaron Judge. The star has stood as the symbol of power and consistency in the AL with an impressive campaign. He has guided the league in multiple areas with his elite numbers. For instance, he has led the league with a .331 batting average, with a .458 on-base percentage, with a .691 slugging, with a 1.149 OPS and 136 scored runs. Not only this, but Judge also has recorded 53 home runs, and because of this, Judge has joined Jimmie Foxx and Mickey Mantle as only the third player in MLB history to hit at... This resume definitely screams MVP.

However, perhaps no one has raised their voice for Judge more than Anthony Rizzo. The veteran first baseman has gone to bat for his teammate and praises Judge’s number and leadership on the team. “He’s the heartbeat of this team,” Rizzo has said on multiple occasions, and in Rizzo’s eyes, there is no MVP race at all. Yet, as USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale said, Judge “shouldn’t be the 2025 MVP.” In a season full of statistical fireworks, one star has defied convention and attracted the attention of analysts, and turning the... He has delivered a season so extraordinary that it is forcing fans to rethink what “value” truly means. Despite Aaron Judge’s power, the Mariners catcher’s case could just be powerful.

Cal Raleigh’s stats are also staggering. The star has hit 60 home runs, which has made him the first catcher ever to reach such a mark while shattering the single-season record for homers by a catcher. He has crossed the record of Mickey Mantle for the most home runs as a switch-hitter and entered the league with Babe Ruth in the 60-HR club. Dan Wilson has praised him: “For him to do what he’s done offensively and to do what he does behind the plate, I honestly don’t think we’ve seen this before.” And it is not just the numbers sheet that makes Raleigh’s case bulletproof. His Gold Glove defense, the ability of Seattle’s pitching staff, and leadership in navigating the Mariners to their first AL West title in 24 years have lifted him to a very different level.

As Nightangle pointed out, if Raleigh were a Yankee and Judge were a Mariner, the conversation likely would not even exist. Raleigh has changed Seattle into a valid World Series participant, performing under the radar while most of the country sleeps. Simply put, in 2025, no one has been more valuable than the “Sultan of Squat.” While many fans and analysts would like to say they knew for certain that New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge was going to win the 2025 AL MVP award, nothing is guaranteed. In fact, Judge faced stiff competition from Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, beating him out by only four votes. The truth of the matter is that just should not have been the case.

There's no denying Raleigh had an incredible season. His fifth year in the big leagues, he slammed 60 home runs (the most in the AL, with four more in the playoffs), and slashed .247/ .359/ .589 for an OPS of .948 during... And, as his supporters mention over and over again, he's a fat-bottomed catcher, not a tall, muscle clad outfielder like Judge. Anti-Yankee sentiment throughout the league led many to suggest that Raleigh's performance, due to his position, should be enough to grant him the MVP award. However, the award doesn't go to the best player in spire of being a catcher. If that were true, it would be called the MVPISBC award.

Judge whacked 53 home runs this season, and likely would have hit even more had he not suffered a right flexor strain that left him on the IL in late July. He also slashed an incredible .331/ .457/ .688 for an OPS of 1.145, leading the MLB in every single category. The thing about Judge is that he is making those numbers every season. Maybe he isn't able to have a repeat of 2022, where he broke records with 62 regular season homers, but he hasn't had an OPS below 1.00 since 2021. History and consistency certainly plays a factor in voting, and Judge is both incredible and reliable. The New York Yankees have had some incredibly legendary players come through their organization, and in the modern era, Aaron Judge is carving out not just a Hall of Fame career but an inner-circle...

He has a case to be the best right-handed hitter in baseball history. This season, while he isn't the leader in home runs, he's still the most dangerous hitter in the game. Judge and Cal Raleigh are the two favorites for the AL MVP in 2025, with both having strong cases for the award. But, in the opinion of MLB insider for USA Today Bob Nightengale, there is a clear favorite for the award. He has such a strong opinion that he says that Judge, despite his incredible league-leading numbers, shouldn't be the AL MVP this season. "It is called the Most Valuable Player Award.

It is not the Best Player award." Nightengale writes. "He (Judge) shouldn't be the 2025 MVP. This award belongs to Raleigh, who has defied the imagination with his historical season, going where no catcher has ever gone before." While there's no denying that Raleigh has had one of the best seasons in MLB history, and arguably the best season by a catcher in MLB history, it's still a very bold stance to... Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees’ star outfielder, has become a real source of hope for the team and its fans. Lately, though, people have started comparing him to Michael Jordan, and that’s sparked a whole debate about whether Judge gets the respect he actually deserves.

This blog post takes a closer look at Judge’s career and the pressures he faces. I think it’s time we celebrate him for what he brings to baseball, instead of trying to stack him up against legends from other sports. Whenever folks talk about Aaron Judge, it seems like someone always brings up Michael Jordan. Sure, Jordan’s basketball legacy is on another level, but you can’t really compare his career to Judge’s path in baseball. Jordan dominated the NBA with six championships and became a global icon. But let’s be real—baseball is a whole different animal, with its own challenges and ways to define greatness.

Baseball and basketball just don’t work the same way. Basketball often spotlights one player’s brilliance, but baseball’s more about the whole team getting it done together. New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is now officially a finalist for the 2025 AL MVP Award, and for good reason. He gave another incredible performance in the regular season, and is widely hailed as the best slugger in the MLB. But it won't be enough to win him the AL award. Your 2025 @officialBBWAA AL Most Valuable Player Award finalists:Aaron JudgeCal RaleighJosé Ramírez pic.twitter.com/UyWkwFktH5

Judge was named alongside Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who is considered his closest competition for the award, and Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez. Raleigh has the more unique story, as he is a phenomenal catcher and led the Mariners to their first division win since 2001. His nickname — Big Dumper, in reference to his large butt — created a cult fandom for Raleigh who led the league in home runs in 2025 (with 60). Judge's accomplishments this season were summarized by MLB in the announcement that he is a finalist, and they speak for themselves. "After winning AL MVP honors in 2022 and ’24, Judge delivered another outstanding season in ’25," MLB wrote. "The Yankees slugger topped the 50-homer mark (53) for the fourth time in his career, led the AL in runs (137) and walks (124) and was the Major League leader in all three slash...

He also topped MLB in both the Baseball-Reference (9.7) and FanGraphs (10.1) versions of WAR, helping the Yankees earn a Wild Card berth." New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is now officially a finalist for the 2025 AL MVP Award, and for good reason. He gave another incredible performance in the regular season, and is widely hailed as the best slugger in the MLB. But it won’t be enough to win him the AL award. Judge was named alongside Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who is considered his closest competition for the award, and Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez. Raleigh has the more unique story, as he is a phenomenal catcher and led the Mariners to their first division win since 2001.

His nickname — Big Dumper, in reference to his large butt — created a cult fandom for Raleigh who led the league in home runs in 2025 (with 60). Judge’s accomplishments this season were summarized by MLB in the announcement that he is a finalist, and they speak for themselves. “After winning AL MVP honors in 2022 and ’24, Judge delivered another outstanding season in ’25,” MLB wrote. “The Yankees slugger topped the 50-homer mark (53) for the fourth time in his career, led the AL in runs (137) and walks (124) and was the Major League leader in all three slash... He also topped MLB in both the Baseball-Reference (9.7) and FanGraphs (10.1) versions of WAR, helping the Yankees earn a Wild Card berth.” Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) takes the field to play against the Toronto Blue Jays during game four of the ALDS round for the...

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images New York Yankees outfielder and captain Aaron Judge is having one of his best seasons yet. He's a seven-time All-Star and is once again in the MVP conversation, going for his fourth time with the honor. However, some critics are suggesting Judge could be pushed out. One of the loudest names in competition with Judge is Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. Raleigh is having an incredible season and is leading the league with 38 home runs.

He also won Monday's home run derby, crushing heavy hitters like Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder ONeil Cruz. Some fans have taken to pointing out that Raleigh's hitting stats are massively impressive "for a catcher," given that catchers generally require different builds and skillsets than outfielders. While that may be true, the AL MVP award is not for player with the best stats given their position. Judge is leading the league post All-Star break in batting average (.355), on base percentage (.462), slugging percentage (.733), OPS (1.195), hits (125). He trails only Raleigh for homers (35) and is second in runs (85) only to Los Angeles Dodgers phenom Shohei Ohtani (91). If Judge were on any other team, these feats 11 years into a career would be considered miraculous.

Because he plays for a team that is so known for dominance that they're hated for it, he's put into competition with players just not on his level. While there is no clear-cut criteria for the personality of an MVP, Judge is an exemplary as captain as well as player. He's well respected by his teammates, keeps to himself and invests time into the local community with his All Rise Foundation. Though plenty of other players on other teams exhibit these same characteristics, Judge's MVP case is bolstered by his character. US raw steel production is down 0.7 percent - week 47, 2025 Spanish scrap prices flat, market awaits rebound

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Shouldn T Be The Mvp Aaron Judge Faces Harsh Snub Yardbarker

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