Shohei Ohtani dominated at the plate in 2025 with 55 homeruns (breaking his own Dodgers record from last season) to go along with his major league leading 146 runs and 380 total bases, and his NL-best .622 SLG and 1.014 OPS. Throw in the stellar 2.87 ERA he posted in his return to pitching and it's easy to see why he's considered a lock to win his second straight NL MVP award (which will make him the first player ever with multiple MVPs in both major leagues — not to mention wins in Japanese pro ball and the WBC). Conversely, the AL race is anything but settled, with voters agonizing over the decision between two highly deserving candidates who've turned in truly remarkable campaigns: Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh.
The Case for Aaron Judge
Judge's stats were excellent this season, as he captured his first batting title with a career high .331 average to go along with a .457 OBP, .688 SLG, and 1.144 OPS. These slash numbers all led the majors, and he also led the AL with 124 walks, 372 total bases, and a career best 137 runs. His 53 homeruns mark his fourth season with 50+, making him the only player other than Babe Ruth to accomplish the feat that many times (excluding steroid users). He was also intentionally walked 36 times, which is the all time record for an American Leaguer and speaks to the fear he deservedly instills in opposing pitchers and managers.
Judge captained the Yankees to the best record in the American League, although they ended up tied with the Blue Jays and lost the division based on a tiebreaker. A late season elbow injury limited him somewhat (primarily defensively), but his output was every bit as remarkable as his two prior MVP campaigns in 2022 and 2024. He and Ohtani are undeniably the defining players of the 2020s so far, and rightly so.
The Case for Cal Raleigh
Raleigh's numbers are unprecedented, as he launched a major league leading 60 homeruns — 6 more than Mickey Mantle's decades-old record for homers by a switch hitter and 12 more than the previous record for a catcher. He led the AL with 125 runs batted in and followed up his Platinum Glove winning 2024 campaign with another excellent season behind the plate, helping guide Seattle's pitching staff to a 3.87 ERA. Despite the intense wear and tear of catching most games, he participated in all but three Mariners contests, and his performance did not dip at all throughout the season.
Seattle made a successful late season push to capture the American League West crown and a bye through the first round of the playoffs, and Raleigh was the driving force. Fans in the Pacific Northwest have been aware of the greatness of Big Dumper for several years now, but his explosive and trailblazing 2025 campaign (including his victory in its Home Run Derby) has now assured that baseball fans worldwide know his name and appreciate his talent. Pairing arguably the most dominant offensive season in the majors with great defense at the most important position in the sport has sealed his victory in the minds of many pundits and armchair experts alike.
The Broader Field
The American League is also home to the best third baseman in baseball, José Ramírez, whose spectacular defense is often overlooked due to his sparkling offensive numbers. He guided Cleveland to an improbable division championship by posting his second consecutive season with more than 30 homers and 40 steals, joining Raleigh's teammate Julio Rodriguez as 2025 AL 30/30 club members. Bobby Witt Jr. had another great year and led the majors in both hits and doubles, although a lack of team success will detract from his candidacy. Pitchers Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet will almost certainly receive MVP votes in addition to finishing 1-2 in Cy Young voting.
None of these players measure up to Judge and Raleigh. Their only competition is with the great campaigns of the past, with Judge once again posting numbers which rank among the finest ever for a right handed hitter, and Raleigh entering the conversation for greatest season by a catcher (along with the likes of only Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, and Roy Campanella) and by a switch hitter (rivaled only by Mantle, Chipper Jones, and Eddie Murray).
Apples and Oranges
Comparing these two remarkable players is in many ways an exercise in futility. Judge is favored by most advanced metrics, all of which have clearly established for years that he and Ohtani are head and shoulders above their peers in offensive value. However, Raleigh's value is boosted greatly by his defense, which cannot be accurately captured statistically due to the inherently nebulous nature of calling games and framing pitches.
Whoever the voters choose will absolutely be a deserving winner, but the American League ballot is undoubtedly causing them much more consternation than that of the senior circuit, where both the MVP and CY Young races have long been decided (with Paul Skenes having firmly established himself as one of the greatest young pitchers the game has ever seen).
What's your take? Do Judge's metronomic greatness and superior advanced statistics make him the Most Valuable Player, or is it Raleigh thanks to his unprecedented slugging from both sides of the plate and excellence behind it? Do either of them rank above Shohei in your overall standings? Post your thoughts on our social media and vote now at goatvote.ca/baseball/mvp.