Aaron Judge Edges Cal Raleigh For AL MVP Crown

Aaron Judge won the 2025 American League MVP on Thursday, adding another accolade to his MLB career.

The New York Yankees outfielder edged catcher Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners in the vote, who also had a stellar season in the Pacific Northwest with 60 home runs. Judge becomes the 13th player to win three or more MVPs after winning his third in the last four seasons.

“It’s a lot of responsibility playing in New York, but that’s what I love,” Judge said to MLB Network. “When I was a free agent, I came back to New York. I wanted to play in the city, play for these fans, play with these high expectations.”

The 33-year-old hit 53 home runs in 2025, which was the third time in his last four season he recorded over 50 homers. Judge also recorded over 100 RBI’s for the fourth time in his career.

“I know I say this often meeting with our media throughout the season, but I don’t ever want to become desensitized by the consistency and the enormity of his accomplishments,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said in a statement. “It’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to use words to capture how good he is. He’s just playing at a higher level, and has been for quite some time.

“It has been an absolute privilege to watch Aaron’s ascension. He’s already fashioned a career that matches up with the all-time greats. I see it every single day – and I think it’s critical to acknowledge the work that Aaron puts in to maintain this inconceivable level of excellence as a player.”

Judge’s performances led the Yankees to a 94-68 record, only missing out on the AL East crown to the Toronto Blue Jays. The team also lost in the ALDS to the Canadian ball club.

2025 marked Judge’s 10th straight season at Yankee Stadium, where he continues to write his name in baseball history.