MLBverse is ablaze with a major debate- did Aaron Judge deserve that second consecutive MVP title? For Seattle Mariners fans, Cal Raleigh had more rights to the award. But sadly, he got the short end of the stick.

The Yankee captain ended up getting 17 of 30 first-place votes from the BBWAA, while Raleigh got 13. And this simply angered the fans. But for Yankee loyalists, Raleigh might have had a season for ages, but MVP is about the overall value of the player and less about the position.

Brian McKeon on Locked on Yankees put it bluntly: “We have to stop ignoring Aaron Judge’s season as if what he did wasn’t also historical on another level. That’s the part that’s starting to bother me: we’re discrediting Aaron Judge. We’re tearing Aaron Judge down publicly to try and make it a better case for Cal Raleigh.”

And there is a distinction that McKeon pointed out: “I fully acknowledge Cal Raleigh had a historical season, but Cal Raleigh had a historical season for a catcher, and it is not the most valuable catcher award. It is not the best catcher award… It is given to the best player in their league. That is how the award works.” But no doubt, for Raleigh and the Mariners fans, this snub is a tough pill to swallow. After all, he became the first catcher in the history of the game to reach 50 homers and then went on to hit 60 home runs this season.

Plus, Cal Raleigh did it while driving in 125 runs and posting a .247/.359/.589 line across 705 plate appearances. So by the measure, Raleigh sure had a season that turned heads; it’s just sheer poor luck that Aaron Judge simply had a better run. He became the third player to hit 50 home runs and win a batting title in the same season, joining Mickey Mantle and Jimmy Fox. He led the league in batting average and OPS and is the first player to do so since Barry Bonds in 2004.

Judge simply walked more, struck out less, and produced at a higher overall rate than anyone else in the league. So when it came down in the end to choosing between a catcher having a legendary season and an outfielder producing elite numbers, the math did the work. And even if the Seattle Mariners do not agree, the decision has been made.

And if you think that there is a sourness between the two players, you may be on the wrong track.

Aaron Judge shows love for Cal Raleigh as Mariners ride high into the offseason

Beneath all the noise and the drama, Aaron Judge went about to show some genuine admiration for the very man who pushed him in the MVP race—Raleigh. After the All-MLB Awards in Las Vegas, he opened up about a moment from the All-Star Game that stayed with him. Raleigh was fresh off a home run derby win, but even with the praise of an entire league, what he talked about to Judge was a whole lot meaningful.

“We talked for a brief moment, and one of the things said to me is like, ‘Hey, at some point over this whole kind of week, I want to connect with you and talk about some leadership stuff — just how I can be a better leader, to help lead my team.’ And for me, that really stood out,” recalled Judge about his conversation with the Seattle star. And this simply floored the New York Yankee captain. Judge said, “He’s all about winning and helping his guys. That’s the reason why he had the success this year and why he will continue to have success in this league.”

And honestly, this mindset checks out perfectly with the positive vibes in Seattle right now. The Mariners are aggressive this winter, and given that they mentioned they would get Josh Naylor back, they went out and did just that. They gave him a five-year deal, and he brings a blend of power and speed to the lineup. In fact, Cal Raleigh himself couldn’t help but celebrate this, saying, “LFG… Jim is here to stay!” on social media.

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For now, though, one thing is for sure: the fans might argue online, but Judge and Raleigh’s conversation says that a race doesn’t always need a villain.