The 2025 season has been historic for Aaron Judge. The star has stood as the symbol of power and consistency in the AL with an impressive campaign. He has guided the league in multiple areas with his elite numbers. For instance, he has led the league with a .331 batting average, with a .458 on-base percentage, with a .691 slugging, with a 1.149 OPS and 136 scored runs. Not only this, but Judge also has recorded 53 home runs, and because of this, Judge has joined Jimmie Foxx and Mickey Mantle as only the third player in MLB history to hit at least 50 home runs while winning a batting title. This resume definitely screams MVP.

However, perhaps no one has raised their voice for Judge more than Anthony Rizzo. The veteran first baseman has gone to bat for his teammate and praises Judge’s number and leadership on the team. “He’s the heartbeat of this team,” Rizzo has said on multiple occasions, and in Rizzo’s eyes, there is no MVP race at all.

Yet, as USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale said, Judge “shouldn’t be the 2025 MVP.” In a season full of statistical fireworks, one star has defied convention and attracted the attention of analysts, and turning the MVP debate up and down: Cal Raleigh. He has delivered a season so extraordinary that it is forcing fans to rethink what “value” truly means. Despite Aaron Judge’s power, the Mariners catcher’s case could just be powerful.

Cal Raleigh’s stats are also staggering. The star has hit 60 home runs, which has made him the first catcher ever to reach such a mark while shattering the single-season record for homers by a catcher. He has crossed the record of Mickey Mantle for the most home runs as a switch-hitter and entered the league with Babe Ruth in the 60-HR club. Dan Wilson has praised him: “For him to do what he’s done offensively and to do what he does behind the plate, I honestly don’t think we’ve seen this before.”

And it is not just the numbers sheet that makes Raleigh’s case bulletproof. His Gold Glove defense, the ability of Seattle’s pitching staff, and leadership in navigating the Mariners to their first AL West title in 24 years have lifted him to a very different level. As Nightangle pointed out, if Raleigh were a Yankee and Judge were a Mariner, the conversation likely would not even exist. Raleigh has changed Seattle into a valid World Series participant, performing under the radar while most of the country sleeps. Simply put, in 2025, no one has been more valuable than the “Sultan of Squat.”

The MVP conversation may be angry off the field, but on it, Judge remains at the top with both his bat and his voice, particularly when the stakes are highest. Just a day after headlines questioned his MVP stats, Judge changed the narrative with a powerful display of leadership during a vital late-September face-off.

Aaron Judge sends a timely message to Cam Schlittler ahead of the postseason push

On September 27, the Yankees entered their must-win game and kept their division hopes alive. On that day, Aaron Judge delivered a 53rd home run of the season, which was a record-breaking 20th in the 1 st inning this season. However, that night belonged to a 24-year-old rookie Cam Schlittler. He has delivered 7 scoreless innings with his career-high 9 strikeouts in the most vital outing since being called up in July.

After the game, the star spoke with reporters, where he said, “Obviously, I knew the situation… there’s a little bit of pressure there,” Cam Schlittler admitted. “But that’s something I enjoy and something I want to pitch through”, he added. The star’s honesty highlighted the maturity that has defined Cam Schlittler’s late-season surge, and his statement did not go unnoticed by Judge.

Just minutes later, Judge made his own statement about the newcomer’s rise. “Oof, I love it. I love it,” Judge said, applauding Schlittler’s balance and growth. “He’s been impressive all year since he came up… each start, he’s becoming a better and better pitcher. The chemistry he has with Wells and Vinnie right now is just, it’s elite.” The timing of Judge’s comments was no accident; his words came right as the Yankees were coming back on the track of the division race, sending a clear message of trust and belief heading into October.

In a season filled with historic feats and heated conversations, Aaron Judge has become the focus of it all, both as a player and as a leader. Whether it is putting up record-breaking stats or standing firmly behind his team members in defining moments, his influence on the Yankees goes far beyond MVP chatter. As October comes closer, the conversation may revolve around awards, but Judge’s aim is clearly hooked on something bigger: driving New York on a deep postseason run. And with emerging arms such as Cam Schlittler stepping up, that mission abruptly seems a lot more achievable.