Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts to striking during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game four of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Yankees' Aaron Judge Wins AL MVP Award

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Erin Shapland | Last updated Nov 13, 2025 7:57 PM ET

New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge has won the 2025 AL MVP Award for another historic season in the Bronx. This marks the third MVP award of his career, having won it in 2022 and 2024.

Judge had the strongest offensive showing in the 2025 regular season, with a slash line that outperformed every other batter in the MLB. Judge ended the season with a .331 batting average, a .457 on-base percentage and a .688 slugging percentage. Judge also logged 53 home runs and 114 RBIs. The season earned him a seventh All-Star Game appearance and his fifth Silver Slugger Award.

Judge was considered neck-and-neck in the AL MVP race with Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, whose MLB-leading 60 home runs and strong defensive performance as a catcher, as well as his leadership over the Mariners' pitching staff, helped lead them further into the postseason than the team had ever gone before. Raleigh was considered the favorite for the award at times, due to the Mariners' underdog story (the franchise still has not won a World Series) and the fact that the catcher is an often overlooked and underappreciated position in the sport.

All Rise, Here Comes the Judge

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Judge was selected by the Yankees in the first round of the 2013 MLB draft. The 33-year-old right fielder made his MLB debut in 2016 and has played his entire career in New York, gradually becoming one of the best to ever play the game.

Judge set the current American League home run record (62) in 2022, and had led the league in home runs his rookie year, with 52 in 2017. He won Rookie of the Year in 2017 as well as his first Silver Slugger Award, and made his first All-Star appearance. Since, Judge has won two Hank Aaron Awards (in 2022 and 2024) and the Roberto Clemente Award (in 2023).

Judge was faced with a brief injury in July, when he suffered a right elbow flexor strain and was placed on the 10-day injured list. The injury bothered Judge more when throwing than when hitting, so while Giancarlo Stanton filled in in the outfield, Judge was able to remain in the lineup as the designated hitter. Judge's contributions to the team are so load-bearing, that news of the injury caused fans to panic, worrying that the season was over for the Yankees on the whole. Fortunately, Judge will not need surgery in the offseason, and is expected to be good to go in the spring.

In 2025, Judge surpassed Yogi Berra and Joe DiMaggio on the Yankees' all-time home run leaderboard, having now logged 368 homers over his career. Now entering his age-34 season, the legendary slugger is still missing one crucial accomplishment: a championship ring.

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