The American League MVP race just got a dramatic shakeup, and not in a way that New York Yankees fans are celebrating. Seattle Mariners All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh now finds himself as the frontrunner for the 2025 AL MVP award following the recent injury to Yankees captain Aaron Judge.
Judge, who had been the betting favorite for much of the season, was placed on the 10-day injured list with a flexor strain in his right elbow. He’s expected to return, but only as a designated hitter for the foreseeable future, an unfortunate development that drastically changes the MVP conversation.