Do the Seattle Mariners even sniff being a few outs away from winning their first World Series in franchise history if former FSU player Cal Raleigh doesn’t have the season he had in 2025?
Aaron Judge is MVP again!
— MLB (@MLB) November 14, 2025
It’s back-to-back AL MVPs for The Captain! pic.twitter.com/HzqA96V6Ni
Absolutely not. However, New York Yankees Aaron Judge took home the American League MVP on Thursday night, and many fans on social media voiced their displeasure:
Cal Raleigh ROBBED of his MVP
— Russell Hartness (@RussellHartness) November 14, 2025
Record Breaking Season
13 first place votes
Not enough
Writers gave MVP to Aaron Judge
Players gave MVP to Cal Raleigh
I'll take the players opinion over writers anyday...@Mariners pic.twitter.com/qQo1P8i632
If Aaron Judge wins MVP baseball is broken. & they only care about who can hit the ball far on a big market team and don’t care at ALL about defensive stats. Cal Raleigh is 1000 percent MVP pic.twitter.com/2uAogU3vty
— Hail Mary Media (@hailmarymedia_) November 12, 2025
Aaron Judge is the American League MVP, with 355 total points and 17 first place votes. Cal Raleigh finished a close second with 335 points and 13 first place votes.
— Mike Vorel (@mikevorel) November 14, 2025
Hard to fathom that any catcher could produce that season, with those circumstances, and not win the award. Alas.
Since the BBWAA began awarding the MVP in 1931, Cal Raleigh is the only MLB player to hit 60 homers for a playoff team and not win MVP. pic.twitter.com/GHdRuUGNqo
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) November 14, 2025
Streets know Cal Raleigh was the real AL MVP, not Aaron Judge 🫡 pic.twitter.com/WKid2UVGKL
— betr (@betr) November 14, 2025
Cal Raleigh should win the AL MVP over Judge. Calling a game is so much more valuable than hitting home runs in high school softball park.
— Josh Brown (@RhubarbBrown) November 13, 2025
Don't care, this is my actual last post. Cal Raleigh was robbed and I don't care. He is the peoples MVP. #SeizeTheMoment #RaiseTheTridents pic.twitter.com/zunoCqIQ5S
— Logan 🦬 (@juantohomer) November 14, 2025
Remember... these typewriter warriors are also the same writers that didn't unanimously vote Ken Griffey Jr. into the Hall of Fame
— Russell Hartness (@RussellHartness) November 14, 2025
I'll take players opinions over writers anyday
Cal Raleigh is the true MVP@Mariners pic.twitter.com/qz2DgNmZdb
Thoughts
Here’s the thing people forget. The award isn’t about who’s the best player or who has the better season. It’s who is the most valuable player. There’s no question that Cal Raleigh is the most valuable player based on how his production impacted the Seattle Mariners' offense, not to mention his contributions defensively as a catcher. Raleigh put both aspects in play throughout the season AND in the playoffs.
Cal Raleigh derangement syndrome has been cured.
— Joe Randazzo (@YankeeLibrarian) November 14, 2025
Aaron Judge winning MVP was obvious. pic.twitter.com/2hpu40nxza
Notice how none of thost stats include defensive impact? Also, Judge was a designated hitter in 37 percent of the games played. Raleigh was a designated hitter in only 24 percent of the games he played in. The numbers Raleigh put up while catching in 1,072 innings this season are insane. How much better could his numbers have been if he only had to concentrate on hitting in 25-30 more games.
Single-season home run feats that Cal Raleigh reached in 2025:
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 13, 2025
- Set record for most by a catcher
- Set record for most by a switch-hitter
- Set record for Mariners franchise history
- 7th player to reach 60+
- Tied record for most multi-homer games (11) pic.twitter.com/pInJvuofkh
If Aaron Judge's team had reached the World Series and won it, I'd have no problem with saying he was the MVP. However, his squad didn't even have the opportunity to play for a World Series title. Judge went off against the Blue Jays and the Yankees still almost got swept.
Judge had an amazing season, but I'd have to give the edge to Raleigh in this one. It looks like I'm not the only person thinking he got robbed.