Sep 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) hits a two run single in the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Yankees' Aaron Judge No Longer Clear MVP

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Erin Shapland | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The regular season has come to an end, but AL MVP discourse is far from over. New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge and Seattle Mariners breakout catcher Cal Raleigh are apparently in close contention, and there no longer appears to be an obvious winner.

Judge's value to this team is so great that his elbow injury was almost enough for fans to give up all hope this year. But as the Yankees head into a Wild Card Series with the Boston Red Sox and the Mariners secure a bye with their division win, another story might be compelling enough to keep the GOAT away from this award.

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Judge's stint on the injured list really allowed a significant gap to form between himself and Raleigh as far as home runs were concerned. Raleigh now holds the record for most home runs by a catcher in a season, blowing away Salvador Perez' 2021 record of 48. Considering the Yankees' apparent home-run-or-bust approach to offense, even they must find that compelling. Judge's all-time AL record still stands, however, with 62 home runs.

It's easy to take Judge's habit of making history for granted. In his 2025 Awards breakdown, Jayson Stark shared by he's voting for Judge, but gave context about Judge-esque characters who have lost the MVP title for similar reasons. Because while Judge is leading in most major batting stats, even Mickey Mantle lost to a home run hero.

"The funny thing is, both Mantle and [Mark] McGwire lost to a man who joined the 60-Homer Club," Stark wrote. "And maybe that tells you that since Raleigh has now charged into that club, precedent is saying he should be the MVP. But I disagree. Here’s what I think history is actually telling us:"

"There are no wrong answers in this debate! I wish I could cast this imaginary vote for the catcher for the Mariners. But it’s not an insult to Raleigh to say he finished second to the greatest right-handed hitter of the last 100 years: Aaron J. Judge."

What Raleigh has done as a catcher, and for the Mariners, may be the better story. The question is whether it makes him more valuable, and that's up to the voters. The prevailing sentiment in MVP discourse land is that they're both extraordinary, and they'll both go down in history for what they accomplished in 2025.

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