Aaron Judge Named 2025 AL MVP After Historic Season

The baseball world just watched another wild chapter in Aaron Judge’s career. The New York Yankees slugger has now claimed his third American League Most Valuable Player award in only four seasons.

In one of the closest MVP races in recent memory, Judge barely edged out Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. Both players put up historic seasons, and the voting reflected just how tough it was to choose between them.

This blog takes a look at the numbers, the debate, and what it all means for both stars and their teams. We’ll also tip our caps to other big award winners from around the league.

A Legendary Season for Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge really stamped his place among baseball’s greats this year. He led the majors in several major offensive stats.

Judge hit .311, got on base at a .457 clip, and slugged an absurd .688. Those numbers are just ridiculous.

He also led the American League in walks with 124 and scored 137 runs. Even when he wasn’t swinging, he was making things happen.

Seventeen first-place votes went Judge’s way. That makes him just the thirteenth player in AL history with three MVPs, which is pretty rare air.

Advanced stats loved him too. FanGraphs gave him a 10.1 WAR, while Baseball Reference had him at 9.7 WAR.

Contract and Career Trajectory

Judge is only in year four of his nine-year, $360 million contract. Every award and milestone just adds to his Hall of Fame case.

If he keeps this up for a few more years, you’d have to think he’ll go down as one of the game’s all-time icons.

Cal Raleigh’s Historical Power Surge

Cal Raleigh didn’t match Judge’s efficiency, but his power was off the charts. He became the first catcher ever to hit 60 home runs in a season.

His .247/.359/.589 slash line shows he brought more than just home runs. Raleigh also led the league in RBIs with 125 and got on base plenty.

Being a catcher usually takes a toll on offense, but Raleigh kept swinging for the fences. It made his season stand out even more.

The Case for Raleigh

Raleigh earned 13 first-place votes. Fans and writers admired how he balanced heavy defensive duties with a monster bat.

FanGraphs put him at 9.1 WAR, and Baseball Reference had him at 7.4 WAR. In a lot of years, that’s an MVP season.

The MVP Debate

With two historic seasons on the table, voters had to decide between Judge’s all-around excellence and Raleigh’s record-shattering power. It wasn’t an easy call.

Judge’s ability to dominate so many categories, plus his higher WAR, gave him the edge in the end.

Postseason Impact

Both stars led their teams into October. Judge helped the Yankees grab a Wild Card spot, while Raleigh powered the Mariners to the AL West title.

Their postseason runs only made their MVP cases stronger. Sometimes, one player really can lift an entire team.

Other Major Award Winners

The Judge-Raleigh showdown stole most of the attention, but other players put together award-winning years too:

• Shohei Ohtani – NL MVP, still doing things nobody else can on both sides of the game.
• Paul Skenes – NL Cy Young, showing he’s already one of the best arms in baseball.
• Nick Kurtz – AL Rookie of the Year, making a splash right out of the gate.
• Tarik Skubal – AL Cy Young, pitching like a true ace for Detroit.
• Drake Baldwin – NL Rookie of the Year, breaking out in a big way.

Looking Ahead

Judge and Raleigh are locked into long-term contracts—Judge as the Yankees’ cornerstone, and Raleigh on a six-year, $105 million extension with Seattle. Fans can expect these two sluggers to stick around as central figures in AL MVP talks for quite a while.

Their rivalry isn’t just about talent. It’s also a reminder of how greatness can show up in so many different ways in baseball.

Maybe you love precision hitting and on-base skills. Or maybe you’re all about raw power, especially from a demanding defensive spot like catcher.

2024’s AL MVP race had a little something for everyone. Honestly, with so much star power scattered across the league, the next few seasons could get even more interesting.

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