Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees has been named the 2025 American League Most Valuable Player, edging out Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh in a close vote. Judge received 17 first-place votes and 355 points, while Raleigh garnered 13 first-place votes and 335 points. This marks Judge's second consecutive MVP and third overall career honor.
The Baseball Writers' Association of America announced the 2025 AL MVP on Thursday, November 13, recognizing Judge for another dominant season. The Yankees captain led Major League Baseball in batting average (.331), on-base percentage (.457), slugging percentage (.688), and OPS (1.145). He hit 53 home runs—second in the AL behind Raleigh's record-setting 60—and drove in 114 runs, while leading the league in runs scored (137), walks (124), extra-base hits (85), and total bases (372). Judge's 10.1 WAR per FanGraphs topped the majors, and his performance came despite rehabbing a right flexor strain and dealing with an elbow issue.
"I grew up watching the greats. Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera always hit above .300. The power just came with it," Judge said. "That’s always been a goal of mine, to hit above .300."
Raleigh, who finished second, had a historic year as a catcher, slashing .247/.359/.589 with 125 RBIs—the AL lead—and setting records for most home runs by a catcher (60), switch-hitter (60), and Mariners player (60). He started 119 games behind the plate, catching 1,072 innings, and posted a 9.1 WAR per FanGraphs, including elite defense. The Mariners won the AL West for the first time since 2001, with Raleigh as their standout performer.
Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez placed third with 224 points, including 19 third-place votes. He hit .283/.360/.503 with 30 home runs and 44 stolen bases, achieving his second straight 30-30 season and a 5.8 WAR. Ramírez now has eight top-10 MVP finishes but no wins.
The race was one of the closest in recent history, mirroring the 2019 margin between Mike Trout and Alex Bregman. Judge joins Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, and Mickey Mantle as the only Yankees with three MVPs, making him the 13th player overall with that many.