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The American League MVP race is coming down to two of the brightest sluggers in the league. Seattle Mariners backstop Cal Raleigh and New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge are battling for the most prestigious individual award in the MLB.
Raleigh has had a sensational campaign, spearheading the Mariners to another postseason trip. Judge has done the same for the Yankees, who are yearning to make a trip back to the World Series and finally win it all.
Unlike the National League MVP race, where Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is the clear-cut leader due to his dominance at the plate and the mound, the AL MVP battle is close, with a few games left this year.
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Let's take a look at key factors that could work in Raleigh's favor:
4 bold reasons why Cal Raleigh deserves AL MVP award over Aaron Judge in 2025
1) Historic catcher's season
Cal Raleigh has set plenty of records with his terrific 2025 campaign for the Mariners. The backstop became just the seventh player in league history to record at least 60 home runs in a season, joining Judge, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Babe Ruth.
In addition, Raleigh also cemented his name in the history books by breaking home run records in a campaign for a Mariner held by Ken Griffey Jr., with 57, a switch-hitter set by Mickey Mantle with 54, and a catcher tallied by Salvador Perez with 48.
2) Single-season home run record
Raleigh leads the MLB with 60 home runs, with Judge sitting at 51. Just three seasons ago, the latter set the American League single-season home run record with 62. With four games left, the Mariners backstop would have the chance to tie, and even surpass the historic feat.
Raleigh's next mound opponent is Rockies pitcher Bradley Blalock. The hurler possesses the unfortunate distinction of allowing the second-most home runs per nine innings this year.
3) Voter fatigue
Aaron Judge has yet to win consecutive MVP awards. This is due to the fact that he has lacked consistency from one season to the next.
With Judge having a sensational campaign, Raleigh could have the advantage of voters' fatigue if the case is made that he's playing a much more demanding position than his counterpart.
4) Counting stats
Statistics and averages are the biggest metrics when it comes to selecting a season's most valuable player. While it's true that Aaron Judge has the edge over Cal Raleigh in averages, the latter clears the former when it comes to counting stats. Apart from the aforementioned home run tally, Raleigh also leads the American League with 125 RBIs compared to Judge's 121.
In addition, Judge also has better protection in the lineup, which helps him establish better numbers on offense. The Yankees lead the league in team OPS at .786. In contrast, the Mariners' team OPS is at .746, with Raleigh's at .959, a telltale sign that he's doing the heavy lifting on the team's offensive output.
