20 points, 4 votes let Aaron Judge add new MVP chapter in rare Yankees company

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NEW YORK — Aaron Judge added another chapter to his growing legacy Thursday night by winning his third American League MVP Award. The Yankees captain edged Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh in the closest MVP race in six years. The tight finish placed Judge in an exclusive group of Yankees icons and strengthened his standing among the greatest players in franchise history.

Judge earned 17 first place votes and 355 points from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Raleigh finished with 13 first place votes and 335 points. The 20 point difference matched the same four vote margin that decided the 2019 race between Mike Trout and Alex Bregman.

Judge, now 33, became the fourth Yankees player ever to win three MVP awards. He joined Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle on a short list of legends who shaped the Yankees identity for generations. Only Barry Bonds with seven MVPs and Shohei Ohtani with four have won more in the history of Major League Baseball.

Yankees captain dominates despite elbow injury

Judge put up elite numbers while dealing with a right flexor strain for much of the second half. He remained in the lineup almost every day and delivered one of the best offensive seasons in MLB. He hit .331 with a .457 on base percentage and a .688 slugging percentage. His batting average led MLB by 20 points. His on base percentage topped the league by 58 points. His slugging percentage was 66 points better than any other hitter.

The Yankees slugger became the tallest batting champion in baseball history at six foot seven. He added 53 home runs, which made him only the third player to win a batting title and hit at least 50 homers. Jimmie Foxx did it in 1938. Mantle matched it in 1956.

“I wasn’t able to play as much right field as I wanted to and had to DH quite a bit when I came back,” Judge said Thursday. “It was a challenge, but everybody deals with stuff throughout the year. You could probably ask Cal the same thing; his body was probably banged up in all sorts of different ways. You’ve just got to suck it up and go out there and play.”

Judge broke the American League record for intentional walks with 36. That total was higher than the combined total of every other MLB team except the Yankees. His 9.7 WAR led all position players. Raleigh finished with a 7.4 WAR, which reflected his heavy catching workload and defense.

Raleigh’s historic season falls just short

Raleigh made a strong case of his own. The Mariners catcher hit 60 home runs, which set single season records for catchers, switch hitters and the Mariners. He became the first player not named Ohtani or Judge to receive a first place AL MVP vote since Jose Abreu in 2020.

The 28 year old catcher led the American League with 125 RBIs. He started 119 games at catcher and logged 1,072 innings behind the plate. No catcher in baseball worked more. His .948 OPS put him among the best offensive catchers in recent memory.

FanGraphs WAR placed Raleigh at 9.1. That ranked third in MLB behind Judge at 10.1 and Ohtani at 9.4. In many seasons those numbers would be enough to win the MVP.

“When we play Seattle, the main objective is to make sure Cal doesn’t beat you,” Judge said during his award acceptance.

Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez finished third with 224 points. He posted his second straight 30 30 season with a .283 average, 30 home runs and 44 steals. Ramirez now has six career top five MVP finishes.

Judge joins Yankees Mount Rushmore

Judge’s third MVP pushes him deeper into Yankees history. DiMaggio won his MVPs in 1939, 1941 and 1947. Berra claimed the award in 1951, 1954 and 1955. Mantle earned his three in 1956, 1957 and 1962.

“It’s tough for me to wrap my head around it,” Judge said. “It’s really kind of mind-blowing. I just play this game to win. I play this game for my teammates, my family, all the fans in New York.”

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Yankees general manager Brian Cashman praised Judge’s impact. “He is a once in a generation player who embodies so much of what is good about our game,” Cashman said. “Aaron is being celebrated again tonight, and rightfully so. He has blossomed into one of sports’ greatest superstars.”

Judge became the first Yankees player to win back to back MVPs since Roger Maris did it in 1960 and 1961. He joined Ohtani as the only players to win consecutive MVP awards since Miguel Cabrera accomplished it with Detroit in 2012 and 2013.

Championship remains the missing piece

For all the MVP trophies and home run records, Judge still focuses on what he lacks. DiMaggio, Berra and Mantle combined for 22 World Series championships as Yankees. Judge has not won one yet.

“All those names won a lot of championships in New York,” Judge said. “That’s the Mount Rushmore of Yankees. I think I’d trade every award I’ve gotten and every All Star appearance for an opportunity to win a championship. That’s my main focus. That’s why I wake up every day.”

The Yankees now have 23 MVP awards, the most of any franchise. Judge passed DiMaggio, Berra and Alex Rodriguez for fourth on the Yankees all time home run list this season with 368. Lou Gehrig’s 493 homers stand as the next major target on the home run ladder.

Manager Aaron Boone said Judge’s greatness is hard to describe. “I don’t ever want to become desensitized by the consistency and the enormity of his accomplishments,” Boone said. “It’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to use words to capture how good he is.”

Yankees hitting coach James Rowson admired his captain’s preparation.

“He doesn’t take a swing that doesn’t have purpose,” Rowson said. “I think people don’t realize, with that size and that body, the things that it takes to be ready to play every night.”

Judge’s third MVP adds to a resume that will draw strong Hall of Fame consideration in the future. At 33, he remains one of the most dominant players in the game. His legacy with the Yankees grows each season. The only question left is whether his MVP success will soon pair with a championship in New York.

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