You’d be forgiven for thinking Aaron Judge had the 2025 AL MVP all locked up in his pocket. With his usual monster season in full swing, it seemed like business as usual for the Yankee captain. But now, we need to hold on to that thought. There is a quiet storm rising from Seattle, wearing a catcher’s gear!

Cue in Cal Raleigh. Not just a catcher, not just a slugger, but a complete force of nature who is starting to make Judge look over his shoulder.

Raleigh, often known as “Big Dumper” among Mariners faithful, isn’t just sneaking into the MVP race, but he is actually busting the door open. Like after Sunday’s game, he is now unbelievably tied with Judge at 26 home runs, and Ohtani is just behind at 25! But here is the real kicker—he is doing it all while being the best defensive catcher in the league.

This is not just fans hyping him up. The praise comes straight from Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto. In a recent interview, he said, “I think the world is only catching on… He is the best defensive catcher in the league… and one of the best sluggers. When our offense has gone quiet, he is the one who comes up with a big hit.” That doesn’t really sound like a casual compliment. That feels like Dipoto is planting a flag and maybe just sending a message eastward. Because there are so many talks and comparisons between Judge and Cal Raleigh.

MVPs don’t just put up big numbers. They carry their teams, and they lead. And Dipoto was clear that Raleigh is a leader. “He is a leader… he’s awesome in the clubhouse… Cal embodies everything we believe in.” This is not just praise; it’s MVP talk.

Sure, Judge still has the spotlight, but if Cal Raleigh keeps holding up his streak, blasting homers, and guiding pitchers, then the Bronx might need to brace up for a real West Coast shake-up.

And while this was all about the MVP buzz, the all-star stage is only heating up.

Aaron Judge dominates the early All-Star votes

This time, once again, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani are right in the thick of the All-Star Game voting. Judge leads all of Major League Baseball with over 1.56 million votes, and Ohtani is not far behind, standing at nearly 1.4 million. But if Judge holds on, he will become the first player since Alex Rodriguez in 2007-08 to finish as the top vote-getter in back-to-back years. That’s some Bronx royalty company right there.

But don’t count Ohtani out just yet. Because the fan favorite Dodger has plenty of time to surge ahead before Phase 1 wraps up on June 26.

The top vote-getters earn a starting spot, so this is more than just bragging rights—it is essentially history in the making. Meanwhile, as Cal Raleigh is the only AL player with over a million votes, he is catching up to Judge on several fronts.

Dodgers, though, on the National League side of things, are leading. Alongside Ohtani, even Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, and Teoscar Hernández are all leading at their respective positions. Even the Cubs and Tigers are flexing their muscles.

As votes keep rolling in, one thing is clear—this year’s lineup has some usual names, but also some serious surprises. Don’t you think so, too?