The 2025 MLB season has ended, but the debate over the American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) is still raging. On one side is Cal Raleigh, the Seattle Mariners’ “Big Dumper,” who led the team to its first American League Championship Series (ALCS) since 2001. On the other side is Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees’ superstar, with his consistency and power in the regular season.
Cal Raleigh – The Mariners Hero
Seattle fans speak of Raleigh with undisguised pride and emotion. This season’s impressive numbers show why:
60 home runs, 125 RBI, 110 runs
.247 AVG, .359 OBP, .589 SLG
169 OPS+, 161 wRC+
Raleigh is not just a great catcher, he’s also the heart of the Mariners. His game-winning home runs in the playoffs sent Seattle back to the ALCS after more than two decades. Mariners fans immediately called him “the player who saved the season,” emphasizing the important role Big Dumper played in turning a team often considered average into a championship contender.
“It’s not just the numbers,” one Mariners fan tweeted. “Cal Raleigh is the reason we’re in the ALCS. He brings a winning mentality to every game.”
Aaron Judge – The Yankees’ Unmissable Superstar
However, the Yankees community insists that Judge is still a worthy MVP thanks to his consistency and outstanding power. His regular season accomplishments would make any team fear him:
53 home runs, 114 RBI, 137 runs
AVG .331, OBP .457, SLG .688
215 OPS+, 204 wRC+
Judge not only contributed to the Yankees’ offensive efficiency but also maintained excellence for 162 games, something Raleigh is hard to match in the eyes of those who value consistency and efficiency throughout the season.
“Aaron Judge is the epitome of consistent excellence,” commented an MLB analyst. “He not only creates home runs but also elevates the entire team.”
Who Is More Deserving?
The question now becomes the focus of MLB Nation: Should the MVP be awarded to the player who carries the team to the ALCS or the player who maintains a dominant performance all season? Raleigh represents impact and power in the decisive moments, Judge represents stability, durability and individual excellence.
Fans on social media are divided into two camps:
Mariners: “Raleigh is the reason we win important games. No one deserves it more!”
Yankees: “Judge dominated the entire season, how can you ignore that?”
The numbers, the moments and the emotions are all weighed. The 2025 AL MVP is no longer a simple award, but a symbol of two different philosophies: instant impact in big games and consistent performance throughout the season.
MLB Nation, your voice matters. Who deserves it more? The one who carries the team to the ALCS after 24 years of waiting, or the one who dominates the entire season, dominating every offensive stat?
The answer will be debated for a long time. But one thing is certain: The 2025 season has produced two potential MVPs that have made the entire baseball world stop and think.
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