What Needs to Happen for Cal Raleigh to Win the AL MVP?

Let’s start by looking at the one thing that doesn’t lie: the numbers. Raleigh leads the way in homers (50 to 43) and RBIs (107 to 97) and though neither are burners, also leads in steals (14 to 9). Judge does own the edge in hits (149 to 122) and runs (110 to 88).

He also leads Raleigh, not to mention the AL, in rate stats. Judge’s entire slash line (.324/.443/.674) is tops in the Junior Circuit and is quite a bit higher than Raleigh’s (.243/.354/.579). He also just barely sits just ahead in fWAR (7.9 to 7.3).

For now, Judge seems to have the edge in offensive stats, though there’s a month for that to change. So it would really help Raleigh’s case if some other factors went in his favor.

Luckily, he might be able to find an additional boost on the defensive side of things. Raleigh already was awarded as the best at his position just last year and has proven to be an asset on the defensive side once again in 2025.

Raleigh ranks well among qualified catchers with five framing runs added (sixth in AL) and a 28% caught stealing percentage (sixth in AL). His Defensive Runs Saved are down to -3 this year, but that’s still fifth among qualified AL catchers.

Judge hasn’t played enough innings to qualify defensively in right field, but his two DRS and OAA (Outs Above Average) rank in the middle for the six AL right fielders who have played at least 600 innings at the position.

He also has strictly played DH in his 22 games since returning from a quick IL stint earlier this month. So not only is Raleigh playing solid defense at one of the most important positions on the field, he’s the only one of the two playing defense at all right now.

The other place Raleigh could look to gain an advantage (whether it should be taken into account is an argument for another day) is in team record. As it currently stands, the Yankees (76-61) and Mariners (73-65) occupy the first and third Wild Card spots, respectively.

Both teams also happen to sit in second place in their respective divisions, New York by 3.5 games and Seattle by 3. If Raleigh could lead his team to a division title while Judge just makes the Wild Card, it’s the type of thing a voter or two could take into consideration.

One final thing that could help Raleigh out is to keep bashing homers in an effort to take down some more records. Along with having the most homers for a catcher in a single season, he was also the first catcher to win the Home Run Derby during this year’s All-Star festivities.

And there are two more big records to chase. With five more homers, he would set a new single season record for homers by a switch-hitter, beating Mickey Mantle’s 54 back in 1961. And with seven more, he’d set a new Mariners record, surpassing franchise legend Ken Griffey Jr., who twice had 56 in a season, most recently in 1998.

In the end, it’ll be an uphill climb for Raleigh. He probably needs a combination of a final late-season flourish, Judge taking a bit of a step back, and a division title for the Mariners to seal the deal, and maybe a little voter burnout could help as well. That should take anything away from what he’s done, because his season has been MVP-worth in the eyes of many.