MLB MVP Race - Can Shohei Ohtani top PCA or can Raleigh top Judge?

National League: Shohei Ohtani vs. Pete Crow-Armstrong

PCA:

Pete Crow-Armstrong (PCA) has been outstanding on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he’s widely considered one of the best center fielders in baseball. Offensively, he’s putting together a strong season: batting .250 with 28 HR, 83 RBIs, a .290 OBP, and 30 stolen bases. His 6.2 WAR ranks tied for 4th in MLB, making him one of the most valuable players in the league.

SHOHEI:

Shohei Ohtani, meanwhile, continues to put up historic numbers. As a hitter, he’s batting .276 with 45 HR, 85 RBIs, and a stellar .386 OBP (5th in MLB), plus 17 stolen bases. On the mound, he has a 4.18 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 11 starts. While his pitching numbers have dipped, his ability to contribute as both a hitter and pitcher keeps him at the front of the AL MVP discussion.

Both players have legitimate cases. Ohtani’s two-way ability is unprecedented, but PCA provides elite defense, strong offensive production, and speed, making him irreplaceable for the Cubs. The Dodgers could survive without Ohtani, but the Cubs likely couldn't without PCA. For that reason, I’d give the edge to Pete Crow-Armstrong for NL MVP.

American League: Aaron Judge vs. Cal Raleigh

JUDGE:

Aaron Judge’s 2025 campaign has been nothing short of dominant. He’s batting a career-high .324 with 43 HR, 97 RBIs, and an MLB-best .443 OBP. His 7.4 WAR also leads the league. He continues to absolutely dominate the league batting wise and still remains a high level outfielder. The Yankees success can almost entirely be attributed to this man offensively, and he continues to be a beast year-by-year

CAL:

Cal Raleigh is having a breakout year of his own, hitting .243 with 50 HR, 107 RBIs, a .354 OBP, and a 5.6 WAR. While Raleigh’s power surge is impressive, Judge’s overall production is more complete. He strikes out less, gets on base more, and leads all of baseball in WAR. Similarly, Raleigh is the cause of nearly the entirety of this teams success, but it need to be stated that the Mariners simply don't look at good overall at the Yankees do, and although Raleigh is especially impressive given his positioning at catcher, it is tough to argue him over Judge. As great as Raleigh has been, the clear choice for NL MVP right now is Aaron Judge given his overall stat leading and historically good season.