Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh are mired in a riveting race for this year\u2019s American League MVP award. Boston Red Sox fans may not like Alex Cora\u2019s assessment of the competition.<\/p>\n
Cora decisively<\/a>\u00a0backed<\/a> the New York Yankees superstar during an interview on MLB Network\u2019s \u201cHot Stove.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCal was great. Judge is the MVP,\u201d Cora declared.<\/p>\n Judge nearly replicated last year\u2019s MVP campaign, posting a whopping 1.144 OPS after registering a 1.159 OPS in 2024. He hit .331, well ahead of runners-up Bo Bichette and Jacob Wilson at .311, with 53 home runs.<\/p>\n \u201cGoing into the season, not too many people thought that he was going to put another monster year because (Juan) Soto signed with the Mets,\u201d Cora said of Judge. \u201cIt was the other way around. He carried that club early in the season. Offensively, defensively, running the bases. The leader. <\/p>\n Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, this is a guy that\u2019s hitting 40-50 home runs and leading the league in batting average. When people are hitting .230, .240, and that\u2019s kind of like average. So, for me, Aaron is the MVP.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Judge may win his third MVP in the last four seasons, but it won\u2019t be unanimous for the second straight year.<\/p>\n Raleigh gives the Yankees outfielder much steeper competition this time. The Seattle Mariners catcher set a single-season record at his typically light-hitting position by blasting an MLB-best 60 home runs.<\/p>\n Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n