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New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Picking each MLB team's MVP

By Seth Carlson, David Hill, Allen Settle, Kevin Henry, Lauren Amour, Taylor Bretl | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 4:32 PM ET

Just three weeks remain before MLB teams shift their focus to the postseason — or for some, to an offseason with the hope of fixing whatever kept them from reaching the playoffs. Before attentions shift entirely, Yardbarker's MLB writers took a look at identifying each club's most valuable player this season.

(Records and stats are all entering play on Monday.)

AL East

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Baltimore Orioles (66-77) | LHP Trevor Rogers | When the Orioles initially traded for Rogers last summer (then with the Miami Marlins), the deal was widely panned. But in 2025, Rogers has been Baltimore’s best player, let alone pitcher, with a sparkling 1.51 ERA in 15 starts to prove the Orioles right.

Boston Red Sox (79-65) | LHP Garrett Crochet | Crochet has been outstanding for the Red Sox in 2025, pitching to a 2.67 ERA (sixth in MLB) in 28 starts as Boston hunts for a playoff spot. The young lefty’s 218 total strikeouts this season is second in all of MLB behind AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal, which makes him an indispensable part of this year’s Red Sox team.

New York Yankees (80-63) | OF Aaron Judge | Who else but Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ captain and franchise player? He’s once again in the AL MVP discussion (along with Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh) despite missing some time with an elbow injury, with 43 home runs and a 1.099 OPS in 480 at-bats this season.

Tampa Bay Rays (71-72) | 3B Junior Caminero | Caminero is the youngest Rays player with a 40+ homer, 100+ RBI season and only the second in franchise history to accomplish the former (first baseman Carlos Pena hit 46 long balls in 2007). There’s no denying the 22-year-old’s immense talent and his superstar ceiling, both of which have culminated in Caminero’s breakout 2025 campaign.

Toronto Blue Jays (82-61) | OF George Springer | The Blue Jays have multiple stars worthy of consideration here amid a surprise 2025 season, but Springer is the choice given his renaissance at the plate (27 home runs, .942 OPS). Toronto has typically received stellar production from first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and shortstop Bo Bichette, but the re-emergence of Springer truly elevates this lineup to another level.

-- Seth Carlson

AL Central

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez. Chris Tilley-Imagn Images

Chicago White Sox (55-89) | IF Colson Montgomery | Considered one of the top prospects in the White Sox system, Montgomery has had an impressive debut. He is tied for second on the team with 18 homers despite having less than half the plate appearances as fellow infielder Lenyn Sosa and outfielder Andrew Benintendi, showing that the future has already begun.

Cleveland Guardians (72-70) | 3B Jose Ramirez | Ramirez has consistently been among the best third basemen in baseball despite a lack of protection in the Guardians’ lineup. This year is no different, as Ramirez has already marked his seventh 20+ homer/20+ steal season and may end the year with his third 30/30 season.

Detroit Tigers (82-62) | SP Tarik Skubal | Skubal has to be regarded as the favorite for the AL Cy Young award as he leads the league in ERA (2.18), WHiP (0.873), K/9 (11.2) and pitching bWAR (6.2). He has cemented his place as the Tigers’ ace and is a key reason why they lead the AL Central.

Kansas City Royals (73-70) | SS Bobby Witt Jr. | Witt has continued to cement his place as one of the best players in Royals history. He already has his fourth consecutive 20/20 season and has improved his defense at short, making him an impressive all-around talent.

Minnesota Twins (63-80) | SP Joe Ryan | Despite scuffling over his past four outings, Ryan has continued to establish himself as a top-of-the-rotation option in Minnesota. A first-time All-Star, Ryan is one of the few established players on the Twins roster following their fire sale at the trade deadline and should be a hot commodity if he ends up on the trade block this offseason.

-- David Hill

AL West

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Athletics (66-78) | 1B Nick Kurtz | Despite not getting the call-up until April 22, Kurtz has been a monster in his first taste of MLB action. His 29 homers and .304 batting average have made him the AL Rookie of the Year favorite and a potential future league MVP candidate.

Houston Astros (78-66) | SP Hunter Brown | The Astros, who lost All-Stars Alex Bregman (in free agency) and Yordan Alvarez (who has missed the majority of the season due to injury), had no business continuing their AL West success. However, stellar pitching, led by Brown’s 2.25 ERA, 1.014 WHIP, and 190 strikeouts, has established a new winning identity in Houston.

Los Angeles Angels (67-76) | OF Jo Adell | Adell narrowly edges out teammate Zach Neto, who has been spectacular with 25 homers and 24 steals. However, Adell’s ascent from a busted former top prospect into a star with a team-leading 35 homers has provided the biggest boost to the Angels this season.

Seattle Mariners (75-68) | C Cal Raleigh | The most prolific power season by a catcher in league history has Raleigh as a top candidate for 2025 AL MVP honors. It is also important to note that the superstar backstop is still producing Platinum Glove-level defense at a premier position.

Texas Rangers (74-70) | SP Nathan Eovaldi | Texas’ pitching staff, featuring a bounce-back season by former Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom, exciting leaps by former top prospect Jack Leiter and solid production from veterans Patrick Corbin and Tyler Mahle, has been the club’s strength in 2025. Fascinatingly, an utterly dominant 1.73 ERA, 0.854 WHIP, 11-3 record and 129 strikeouts across 130 innings by veteran Eovaldi have anchored the Rangers’ season.

-- Allen Settle

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Atlanta Braves (64-79) | C Drake Baldwin | In a year where seemingly nothing went right for the Braves, the emergence of Baldwin is something for the team and fans to celebrate. The rookie has posted a .796 OPS with 15 homers and 63 RBI across 106 games, and will certainly be in the running for NL Rookie of the Year.

Miami Marlins (66-77) | LF Kyle Stowers | Although currently on the injured list, Stowers was, by far, the Marlins’ MVP this year. Before landing on the IL, the 27-year-old first-time All-Star was in the midst of a career year, belting 25 homers along with 21 doubles, 73 RBI and a .912 OPS — all career highs. It remains to be seen if he will return this year.

New York Mets (76-67) | RF Juan Soto | Soto is inevitable. His Mets tenure may have started rocky, but he's only one stolen base away from a 30-30 season, having hit 38 home runs this year with 29 stolen bases. He also boasts a team-leading .928 OPS and an MLB-best 117 walks in 141 games. Soto is proving that his 15-year, $765M deal was well worth it.

Philadelphia Phillies (83-60) | SS Trea Turner | While Kyle Schwarber has made a convincing case for team MVP, Turner has been Philadelphia’s best, most consistent hitter all season long. He exited Sunday’s game with a hamstring strain, and the Phillies must hope he's not out long, as his 179 hits and .305 batting average lead the NL. His production would be sorely missed out of the leadoff spot as October looms.

Washington Nationals (58-84) | LF James Wood | It hasn't been a great year in Washington, and it’s been an up-and-down season for Wood. His 193 strikeouts lead MLB, but the second-year outfielder was named an All-Star and participated in the Home Run Derby. Wood has proved his power is real with his team-leading 27 home runs, alongside 31 doubles, 86 RBI and an .818 OPS.

-- Lauren Amour

NL Central

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Chicago Cubs (81-62) | LHP Matthew Boyd | At 34 years old, Boyd is having one of the best seasons of his 11-year MLB career, highlighted by his first All-Star selection. Over 166 1/3 innings, he’s recorded 12 wins, a 2.92 ERA, 145 strikeouts and a 1.06 WHIP.

Cincinnati Reds (72-71) | LHP Andrew Abbott | Abbott has quietly anchored Cincinnati’s rotation, even amid a recent cold stretch. He holds an 8-5 record and a 2.88 ERA (seventh in NL), and earned his first All-Star selection this season, where he tossed a scoreless inning.

Milwaukee Brewers (89-55) | RHP Freddy Peralta | Peralta has been Milwaukee’s undisputed ace, delivering a 16-5 record (most wins in the NL), a 2.50 ERA (second-best in the NL), 176 strikeouts and a 1.07 WHIP over 158 2/3 innings. Since Aug. 5, he’s had five consecutive starts of at least five shutout innings, putting together 29 scoreless innings, the longest streak in MLB this season.

Pittsburgh Pirates (64-80) | RHP Paul Skenes | In another dominant season, Skenes leads MLB with a 1.98 ERA, alongside 195 strikeouts (tied for the most in the NL) and a 0.94 WHIP (second in the NL) across 173 innings. He’s thrown 11 scoreless starts this season and has a 0.47 ERA over his last three starts.

St. Louis Cardinals (72-72) | SS Masyn Winn | With one of the best gloves in the majors, Winn leads MLB with 22 outs above average. While not a standout power hitter, Winn is batting .254 with nine home runs and 51 RBI — the fourth most on the Cardinals this season.

-- Taylor Bretl

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Arizona Diamondbacks (72-72) | OF Corbin Carroll | A tight contest between Carroll and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, Carroll gets the edge because of his mix of power (30 homers lead the current roster) and speed (his 25 stolen bases pace the Diamondbacks as well). His 16 triples also lead all MLB players.

Colorado Rockies (40-103) | C Hunter Goodman | In his first full season as a catcher, Goodman not only earned Colorado’s only All-Star bid this season, but has also been their offensive leader. His 29 home runs are a record for a Rockies catcher and the most for a National League catcher since Atlanta’s Javy Lopez hit 43 in 2003.

Los Angeles Dodgers (79-64) | DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani | Ohtani could well be on his way to his second consecutive National League Most Valuable Player award (and third overall) this season. He has not only continued his prowess at the plate (he leads MLB with 127 runs scored and paces the NL in slugging percentage, OPS and total bases) but also added effectiveness on the mound (3.75 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 36.0 innings).

San Diego Padres (78-65) | RHP Nick Pivetta | Sure, there are plenty of offensive stars in San Diego, but Pivetta’s impact in his first season in the 619 can’t be overlooked. The 32-year-old has logged 18 quality starts, the fourth-most in the NL, and has been impressive as the regular season winds down, posting a 2.43 ERA over his last five starts covering 29.2 innings.

San Francisco Giants (72-71) | RHP Logan Webb | The 28-year-old right-hander has been consistent for San Francisco once again this season, making an MLB-high 29 starts and facing the most batters of any MLB pitcher (738). His current ERA+ of 124 puts him on track to finish with an ERA+ of 111 or higher in five consecutive seasons.

-- Kevin Henry

David Hill

Based in the mountains of Vermont, Dave has over a decade of experience writing about all things baseball. Just don't ask his thoughts on the universal DH.

Taylor Bretl

Taylor Bretl writes about Major League Baseball with a focus on the Milwaukee Brewers. He is founder of Around the Globe Baseball.

Kevin Henry

A member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), Kevin Henry has been covering MLB and MiLB for nearly two decades. Those assignments have included All-Star Games and the MLB postseason, including the World Series. Based in the Denver area, Kevin calls Coors Field his home base, but travels throughout North America during the season to discover the best stories possible

Lauren Amour

Lauren Amour is a writer and editor based in the Greater Philadelphia area. She works as an editor and writer at Yardbarker, covering MLB and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Seth Carlson

Seth Carlson is an experienced writer and editor based in the NYC area with a particular love for all things baseball. He has a demonstrated history of delivering insightful analysis and engaging content across multiple outlets and industries. Seth brings his expertise and commitment to high-quality coverage to Yardbarker’s readers.

Allen Settle

Allen Settle is a lifelong baseball fan who has never given up on his passion. You can find his writing at Yardbarker and Prospects1500. He is a former writer at Fansided’s Marlin Maniac and Rising Apple

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