ESPN’s David Schoenfield pointed out a critical strategy for the Yankees. In his unfiltered opinion, manager Aaron Boone is riding his star player, Aaron Judge’s, momentum. “Judge hasn’t missed a game, although Boone has started him 18 times at DH.” Interestingly, this reliance isn’t new. In 2022, Judge hit 33 homers before the All-Star break. He followed that in 2024 by hitting .316 with 31 homers by the end of June. Now in 2025, he’s chasing history another time. But a harsh claim suggests this historic pace might be impossible to maintain.
The main question, as posed directly by Schoenfield, is blunt. “Can Judge stay this dominant?” His analysis offers an equally direct answer: “In one sense, we already know the answer to this: No.” Schoenfield points to Judge’s astronomical Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP), which was an unheard-of .512 in early May.
As he noted, “When Judge was hitting .432 on May 3, his BABIP was .512. Since then, it’s a still-lofty .383, but that is more in line with the .367 mark he had last season.” This statistical regression, Schoenfield argues, creates a sliver of doubt in an otherwise flawless season.
That doubt opens the door for a surprising challenger, a player whose rise Schoenfield calls “one of the most unexpected MVP-level campaigns in recent memory.” Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has emerged as a serious threat. While Judge’s excellence was anticipated, Raleigh’s power surge has been a revelation. As Schoenfield highlights, Raleigh has a slash line of .275/.380/.651 while leading MLB in RBIs (69) and home runs (32). Raleigh is not just having a great year; he is authoring, as the article suggests, “one of the greatest offensive seasons by a catcher.”
Raleigh’s performance, according to Schoenfield’s article, places him in truly elite company. He is just the “24th time a player has at least 30 homers through 81 team games.” This puts his name alongside legends like Babe Ruth and Ken Griffey Jr. The big question is whether the backstop can avoid the second-half fade that plagued many others. As Schoenfield pointed out, “None of them were catchers, though.” The physical toll of the position makes his historic home run pace a remarkable and legitimate challenge to Judge’s ambitions.
This rising threat from an unexpected rival creates a familiar narrative for The Captain. But his past performances provide a clear blueprint for how he might respond to Raleigh’s incredible season. It seems “All Rise” truly begins when the pressure is on.
Crowded field: Beyond Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh
Let’s return to his 2022 MVP season. Shohei Ohtani was playing like a superhero as a two-way player. But Judge responded with an incredible second-half surge to secure the award. In 2024, the Yankees captain overcame a brutal April slump, hitting just .179 at one point. He then went on an absolute tear to win his second MVP unanimously. He even navigated a brief 2-for-22 stretch this June. That resilience shows that his mental toughness is as his swing.
Naturally, the American League MVP competition is not simply a two-man show. And while Judge and Raleigh are the leaders, other stars are making their cases. Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña is quietly hitting .324. He has implemented some serious swing changes, and it shows. This year’s competition is shaping up to be a battle of the best. It won’t be easy for the Yankees slugger to secure a third MVP.
Beyond Peña, there are other contenders in the mix. Bobby Witt Jr., the talented young shortstop in Kansas City, is batting .278 with 10 home runs and 21 stolen bases. For Cleveland, meanwhile, there’s the perennial threat that is José Ramírez, who is hitting .317 with 13 home runs. These candidates add further layers of uncertainty to the race.
Judge’s current dominance is undeniable, but can he hold off a field of hungry and talented challengers? And the second half of the season promises a thrilling chase to the finish.
The post Aaron Judge Hit With Harsh Claim From ESPN Amid Rising Threat to Major MLB Ambition appeared first on EssentiallySports.
