By Myles Vazquez
The 2025 Major League Baseball MVP races are set up to be very intriguing, giving the fans plenty to talk about. In the American League, the two notable players in the running are Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh. Judge is a Yankees star already. He has been one of the best hitters in baseball for a long time, and he is once more putting up solid numbers. His batting average is currently 0.327, with on-base percentage being 0.452, with 49 home runs. His power all around stands out.
Raleigh, however, has surprised many this season. He is the Seattle Mariners’ starting catcher. Hitting more home runs and bringing in more runs than anyone in the American League. This isn’t something often seen because catching is one of the most difficult positions in baseball. Catchers do not usually put up such big offensive numbers because of the demands of the position, but Raleigh is both doing his job behind the plate and hitting at a very high level.
Judge has been more steady overall, but Raleigh’s ability makes him impossible to ignore. Some think that Raleigh could end up winning MVP if he keeps this up. Others think that Judge’s steady batting and good health could be the difference in balloting. It will more than likely boil down to what matters most to voters: raw power numbers like home runs, RBIs, or balanced hitting and consistency.
In the National League, Shohei Ohtani is the obvious favorite. He is once more putting up numbers that most everyone else can only dream about. While he has pitched much less this season due to rehabbing from Tommy John, his hitting has been incredible. He is showing both power and ability to get on base often. They compared him to Juan Soto regarding patience in the batter’s box and Kyle Schwarber in terms of home runs. That pair lists him as the league’s best player.
Juan Soto is doing well too, with the New York Mets in his first season after signing a 15 year ($765 million) adding speed and stolen 35 bases and a career high of 42 home runs. However, it seems Ohtani is in a class all by himself when it comes to the MVP vote. Soto may finish second, but Ohtani has the stronger case according to how he affects the game overall.
Overall, the MVP races illustrate different types of greatness. In the AL, Judge’s steady star presence is matched against Raleigh’s power breakout season as a catcher. In the NL, Ohtani seems like the clear frontrunner, but Soto is having his own great season. With the regular season coming to a closing, each game matters, especially in the tight race of the AL between Judge and Raleigh.
