University of Kwazulu-Natal

Why Cal Raleigh Shouldn T Win Al Mvp Over Aaron Judge Despite Msn

Bonisiwe Shabane
-
why cal raleigh shouldn t win al mvp over aaron judge despite msn

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: 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. 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.

Editor’s Note: This column was written on the afternoon of September 24. Since then, Cal Raleigh hit his 60th homerun, the Seattle Mariners won the AL West, and Aaron Judge hit his 50th and 51st homerun. The 2025 American League MVP race has crystallized into a thrilling duel between New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge and Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. Judge, a two-time MVP, has delivered another colossal season, leading the majors in batting average (.326), on-base percentage (.451), slugging (.672), OPS (1.123), and both versions of WAR (9.2 fWAR, 9.0 bWAR). His 130 runs scored and role as the anchor of a Yankees team fighting for playoff positioning make him a formidable candidate. But MVP isn’t just about who’s the “best player” or who posts the flashiest rate stats.

It’s about value—the player most indispensable to their team’s success, viewed through the lens of context. In that framework, Raleigh emerges as the deserving winner. His historic power surge, elite defense at baseball’s most punishing position, and central role in propelling the Mariners toward their first AL West title in 24 years make his case undeniable. With betting odds deadlocked at -115 for both players, Raleigh’s narrative-driven, context-heavy season gives him the edge over Judge’s statistical dominance. Let’s start with offense, where Raleigh isn’t just competing—he’s rewriting history. As of September 24, he leads all of baseball with 58 home runs and 121 RBIs, shattering multiple records.

He’s broken the single-season home run mark for catchers (previously 48), switch-hitters (surpassing 54 from 1961), and his own franchise (eclipsing 56 from 1997 and ’98). If he hits two more homers in Seattle’s final six games—all at home against the Rockies and Dodgers—he’ll reach the hallowed 60-home-run mark, a feat achieved cleanly only by Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, and... Hitting 62 would tie Judge’s AL record; 63 would set a new non-PED standard. Yes, Judge’s .326/.451/.672 line outshines Raleigh’s .247/.360/.589 (169 OPS+), but context is critical. Raleigh plays half his games in T-Mobile Park, the most pitcher-friendly stadium in MLB over the last three years. Yankee Stadium, meanwhile, ranks third for home runs and average for runs.

Adjusted for park effects, Raleigh’s power is even more remarkable—executives estimated he’d have around 64 homers in Judge’s park. As a switch-hitter, Raleigh adds versatility, thriving in tough matchups, and his 14 stolen bases top Judge’s 12, showing unexpected agility for a catcher. by Michael O'Hara | Sep 25, 2025 | Headlines, MLB <img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-987552615 lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/twsn.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cal-Raleigh-092525.jpeg?resize=1080%2C608&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1" alt="Cal Raleigh" width="1080" height="608" srcset="https://twsn.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cal-Raleigh-092525.jpeg 1296w, https://twsn.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cal-Raleigh-092525-1280x720.jpeg 1280w, https://twsn.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cal-Raleigh-092525-980x551.jpeg 980w, https://twsn.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cal-Raleigh-092525-480x270.jpeg 480w" sizes="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px)... Over the next week, all eyes will be on both the NL and AL Wild Card races, on top of a few divisional races, most notably in the AL Central and the AL East. The other hot topic within MLB circles, as the regular season comes to a close, will be crowning the AL MVP.

Down the stretch, it’s been a two-horse race between the Mariners’ Cal Raleigh and the Yankees’ Aaron Judge. After Raleigh belted his 60th home run and helped Seattle secure an AL West title on Wednesday night, he’s taken a decisive lead in the race in the eyes of oddsmakers. For the third time in the last four years, New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is the American League MVP winner, with the BBWAA wrapping up award week by announcing the MVPs on Thursday... It was another brilliant season for the hulking slugger, but unlike last year when he won the award unanimously, there was a legitimate challenger this time around in Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. Both players had a compelling case, and while Judge ultimately finished on top, it was one of the closest votes in recent memory: Before we dive into why Big Dumper should have been the 2025 AL MVP, let's first lay out the case for Judge to provide some context.

.css-1582m2i{margin:0;font:inherit;font-weight:700;}The Case for Aaron Judge The perennially great Aaron Judge is MVP-worthy yet again. Don’t miss Greg Joyce’s text messages from The Bronx and beyond — he’s giving Sports+ subscribers the inside buzz on the Yankees. But Cal Raleigh’s 60 home runs are historic. This will be recalled as Raleigh’s year, just as 2022 rightly was Judge’s year. Raleigh joined Judge, Roger Maris, Babe Ruth and some steroid guys as the only players ever to hit 60.

People Also Search

Aaron Judge And Cal Raleigh Had Historic Seasons, But Only

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.

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: Unlike in the National League, where Shohei Ohtani was unanimously vote...

In The End, Judge Won. It’s Hard To Argue That

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 h...

Judge Won By 20 Points, 355–335, In What Was An

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 runne...

I Really Hate That Judge Won It. Catchers Are Chronically

I really hate that Judge won it. Catchers are chronically undervalued in today’s economy. Editor's note: This story originally published on Sept. 27, 2025. The sentiment remains. Everybody ...