Aaron Judge vs. Cal Raleigh: Who Deserves the AL MVP?

Bassyonni

ago 2 hours

As the announcement of the 2025 American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) approaches, an engaging debate emerges between two standout players: Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees. Both players have showcased extraordinary talent throughout the season, and their performance has captivated baseball fans.

Aaron Judge vs. Cal Raleigh: Who Deserves the AL MVP?

This discussion focuses on key metrics that shed light on each player’s contributions. Statistics often play an integral role in determining MVP contenders, and this year is no different.

2025 AL AXE Leaders

Aaron Judge, Yankees – 164
Cal Raleigh, Mariners – 150
Bobby Witt Jr., Royals – 145
Jose Ramirez, Guardians – 138
Julio Rodriguez, Mariners – 134

Judge leads significantly, showcasing his prowess as a top candidate. However, Raleigh’s accomplishments cannot be overlooked, particularly his record-breaking season as a catcher.

Traditional Stats vs. Advanced Metrics

The debate often swings between traditional statistics and advanced metrics. Judge’s stats include:

Batting Average: .331
Home Runs: 53
RBIs: 114
Runs Scored: 137

In contrast, Raleigh’s remarkable figures are:

Batting Average: .247
Home Runs: 60
RBIs: 125
Runs Scored: 110

Despite Judge’s higher batting average, Raleigh’s historic 60 home runs reflect a boundary-pushing performance that stands out in baseball history.

Value to Their Teams

Another dimension of the MVP debate evaluates each player’s value to their respective teams. This perspective assesses how their absence would impact team performance. The Yankees and Mariners have shown different outcomes with and without their stars:

With Judge: Yankees record: 94-68, playoff appearance
Without Judge: Estimated record: 85-77, playoff miss
With Raleigh: Mariners record: 90-72, playoff appearance
Without Raleigh: Estimated record: 83-79, playoff miss

Here, both players highlight their importance in driving their teams’ success in the highly competitive AL.

The Narrative Debate

Raleigh’s season is marked by unique achievements; his 60 home runs exceed the previous record for primary catchers and position him among elite company. This narrative adds weight to his MVP candidacy. Conversely, Judge has consistently performed at an elite level, further enhancing his standing.

As the MVP announcement draws closer, the thoughts around who truly deserves the title remain varied. Both Judge and Raleigh offer compelling cases based on their individual seasons.

In summary, the 2025 AL MVP race encapsulates a classic debate not just about statistics but about the values we place on performance in the world of baseball. Whether it’s the traditional metrics that favor Judge or Raleigh’s remarkable history-making achievements, baseball fans have little doubt that this contest has brought considerable excitement to the sport.