The American League MVP race is ablaze, with two titans of the diamond—New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge and Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh—locked in a historic showdown. Jayson Stark, the venerable MLB scribe for The Athletic, has weighed in, crowning Judge as the deserving MVP for the third time in his illustrious career, even as Raleigh’s jaw-dropping 60-home-run season rewrites baseball history. In a debate with “no wrong answers,” Stark argues that Judge’s all-around brilliance outshines Raleigh’s monumental power surge.
Cal Raleigh has etched his name into the annals of baseball lore. By smashing 60 home runs in 2025, he became just the fourth player in American League history—and seventh in MLB history—to reach that hallowed mark. His power outburst surpassed Aaron Judge’s own AL record of 62 homers set in 2022 and obliterated the major-league record for home runs by a catcher. Raleigh’s heroics didn’t stop there; his bat carried the Mariners to their first division title since 2001, a feat that has electrified Seattle and thrust him into the MVP spotlight.
Raleigh’s case is compelling. As a catcher, a position notorious for its physical demands, his 60-homer barrage is nothing short of miraculous. Add in the potential for voter fatigue with Judge, who’s been a perennial MVP contender, and Raleigh has a legitimate shot at dethroning the Yankees slugger.
Yet, Aaron Judge is no ordinary contender. Despite missing 11 games due to an elbow injury that hampered his play, Judge is poised to claim his first batting title while leading the AL in a staggering array of offensive categories: average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, runs scored, total bases, walks, times on base, Win Probability Added, and wins above replacement. As Stark vividly puts it, Judge is “orbiting a different planet” offensively.
Known for his prodigious power—Judge is one of only four players in MLB history with four 50-homer seasons—his 52 home runs in 2025, while trailing Raleigh, are just one piece of his multifaceted dominance. Stark emphasizes that Judge’s all-encompassing excellence has been the linchpin in reviving the Yankees from an August slump and propelling them to their eighth postseason appearance in his 10-year career.
Stark, a seasoned baseball writer with stints at ESPN and The Athletic, urges fans and voters not to be swayed solely by Raleigh’s home run tally. “It’s easier to lock in on when all you have to do is count home runs,” he writes. But Judge’s season, while not record-breaking in the same vein, is a masterclass in consistency and impact. Stark points to historical precedents to bolster his argument: Mark McGwire’s 70 homers in 1998 didn’t secure him the MVP over Sammy Sosa, and Mickey Mantle’s 54 homers in 1961 were outshone by Roger Maris’s 61. Home runs, while dazzling, aren’t the sole measure of value.
Judge’s ability to elevate his team, even while battling injury, sets him apart. His leadership and clutch performances have been instrumental in guiding the Yankees back to October, a testament to his intangible value.
Stark acknowledges the strength of Raleigh’s case, praising the catcher’s historic season and the seismic impact he’s had on the Mariners. “There are no wrong answers in this debate!” he declares, recognizing that Raleigh’s achievements are worthy of celebration. Yet, he ultimately casts his “imaginary vote” for Judge, calling him “the greatest right-handed hitter of the last 100 years.” It’s not a slight against Raleigh, but a nod to Judge’s unparalleled consistency and dominance across every facet of the game.
The 2025 AL MVP race is a clash of titans: Raleigh’s historic power versus Judge’s all-around mastery. As the baseball world awaits the final verdict, Jayson Stark’s case for Aaron Judge reminds us that greatness isn’t just about breaking records—it’s about redefining what’s possible. Whether it’s Raleigh’s 60 homers or Judge’s stratospheric stats, this debate will burn bright in baseball lore for years to come.