According to a recent poll taken by a number of MLB executives, the American League MVP race is currently slightly favored towards Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. Aaron Judge was edged out in a 7-6 preliminary vote taken by these unnamed executives.
The race for MVP has been solely between Raleigh and Judge since the middle of the summer, when both pulled away from the rest of the pack which included Bobby Witt Jr., Tarik Skubal and Jose Ramirez.
“Both are beasts and very impactful to their teams,” one AL executive said. “If they had these type of years but not in the same year, both would be unanimous. Both should be rewarded. Most Valuable Players this year instead of Most Valuable Player. Simply add the ‘s’ on the end.”
The margins are razor thin. Judge’s value has been diminished in recent weeks since he’s been relegated to DH after he injured his shoulder, though Raleigh’s advanced hitting stats would say that his offensive output is less than Judge despite his power numbers being higher.
The Case For Raleigh
Cal Raleigh has broken two notable records this season; most home runs by a catcher in a single season, shattering the previous record of 48 set by Salvador Perez in 2021, and most home runs by a switch-hitter in a single season which was held by Mickey Mantle since 1961. Both of these stats in their own right would win Raleigh the MVP by a landslide in a world without Aaron Judge.
Raleigh also plays undoubtedly the most difficult position in baseball. He won the platinum glove last season behind the dish, and though his defensive stats are slightly worse than last year, he is still a top-5 defensive catcher in the MLB. He is also a huge factor in working with the Seattle Mariners young and talented pitching staff which has thrived this season.
In terms of team value, the argument that he is more valuable to the Mariners than Judge is to the Yankees is certainly valid based on his versatility.
Raleigh has an effect on almost every aspect of a baseball game; as a catcher he is defensively strong and a leader for the pitching staff and offensively, his switch-hitting capability allows him to be effective against both right-handed and left-handed pitchers.
The Case For Judge
Aaron Judge’s case for MVP solely rests in his world-class offensive ability. Yes, he is a very good defender, but having missed so many games in the field doesn’t help his case against Raleigh, especially considering the difference in difficulty between catcher and outfielder.
Judge’s power numbers are lower than Raleigh’s – he has 48 home runs and 104 RBI compared to Raleigh’s 56 and 118 – but his batting average and ops are both over 100 points higher than Raleigh’s. Most people look at Judge and think of him as solely a power hitter, but he is truly one of, if not the best overall hitter in the MLB.
His offensive WAR (wins above replacement) is best in the league at 8.5 which is 1.2 points higher than the second place Raleigh.
Yankees Star Aaron Judge Predicted to Get Disappointing News