Cal Raleigh Surges Past Aaron Judge in Tight AL MVP Race

Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh hits 60th home run, taking lead over Aaron Judge in 2025 AL MVP odds.

Arun UpadhayaySeptember 25, 2025

45,268 2 minutes read

Seattle, September 25 EST: If you blinked, you missed it. A towering drive, a flash of leather, and suddenly Cal Raleigh isn’t just the Seattle Mariners’ cleanup bat, he’s the name on every scoreboard graphic, the chant rolling down from the upper decks, the man who has shoved the American League MVP race into his own dugout.

The Big Dumper Goes Deep, Again

When Raleigh crushed his 60th home run into the September night, the crowd at T-Mobile Park didn’t just cheer, they roared like a fan base finally set free. Twenty-four long years of waiting for a division crown, and it’s their barrel-chested catcher, a guy nicknamed “Big Dumper,” who delivers the swing that ties him to Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, and Sammy Sosa. That’s not a footnote in history. That’s baseball immortality.

And he’s doing it while strapping on shin guards, calling pitches, and soaking up foul tips like punishment from the baseball gods. Catchers aren’t supposed to hit 60. They’re supposed to grind through 140 games on two bad knees and pray for winter. Raleigh’s rewriting that rulebook every time he digs in.

Judge Still Stands Tall

Now, don’t mistake this. Aaron Judge isn’t fading quietly. The Yankees captain is still dropping balls into the Bronx night like he owns the league, still posting those absurd rate stats, OPS north of anyone’s stratosphere. Judge is a colossus, a one-man economy of power and presence. His 2022 MVP was no accident, and on sheer offensive efficiency, he might even have the better case.

But here’s the rub. The Yankees clinched weeks ago. Their October spot was never in doubt. Judge has been great, brilliant even, but Raleigh’s swings have carried Seattle on his back. Value isn’t just about stats. It’s about weight. And no player has borne more of it this season than Raleigh.

The Odds Makers Flip

The betting boards finally caught up. FOX Sports put Raleigh at −200 Thursday morning, Judge drifting to +160. A week ago, that script was flipped. You can feel the momentum shift like a tide. Every homer Raleigh hits pulls him closer to a trophy few would have dared to imagine for him back in April.

A Catcher’s Dream, A Fan Base’s Release

Think about this. The last AL catcher to win MVP was Joe Mauer in 2009, a contact hitter, a technician of the box. Raleigh is the opposite, a bruiser, a slugger, a catcher built like a lineman who hits like a middleweight with bad intentions.

Seattle isn’t just watching a star season. They’re watching the identity of their team form in real time. The Mariners don’t just clinch the AL West. They kick down the door that’s been locked since 2001. And front and center is Raleigh, the folk hero who made it all possible.

What It All Means

So here we are. A few games left. Judge waiting for one last surge, Raleigh hammering pitches into orbit. The writers will squabble, as they always do, over what “most valuable” means. But in the seats, in the streets, in the cracked voices of Mariners fans who’ve lived on droughts and close calls, it already feels like the story has been written.

Judge has been the titan. Raleigh? He’s been the savior.

And if the MVP vote follows the heartbeat of the season, the catcher with 60 bombs and a division crown in his gear bag may just steal it.

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Arun Upadhayay

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A former college-level cricketer and lifelong sports enthusiast, Arun Upadhayay brings the heart of an athlete to the sharp eye of a journalist. With firsthand experience in competitive sports and a deep understanding of team dynamics, Arun covers everything from grassroots tournaments to high-stakes international showdowns. His reporting blends field-level grit with analytical precision, making him a trusted voice for sports fans across New Jersey and beyond.

Cal Raleigh Surges Past Aaron Judge in Tight AL MVP Race