As the 2025 Major League Baseball season nears its final month, the MVP races in both leagues are taking shape, with some changes at the top according to a recent poll of 37 MLB.com experts.
In the American League, Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners has moved into first place in the latest voting. Raleigh received 22 first-place votes and is on pace for 60 home runs this season. He recently set a record for most home runs in a single season by a primary catcher with 49 and leads the AL with 106 RBIs and a 167 OPS+.
Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees, who had previously led in past polls, now sits second with 15 first-place votes. Judge’s performance has slowed since the All-Star break due to a .193 batting average and .744 OPS during that period, as well as missing time because of a right flexor strain. Despite these setbacks, Judge still leads Major League Baseball in batting average (.324), on-base percentage (.439), slugging (.669), and OPS (1.108). He is also second in the AL with 40 home runs.
Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals ranks third. While his current season does not match his standout performance from last year—when he won a batting title and finished second to Judge in MVP voting—Witt continues to be productive, leading baseball with 40 doubles and maintaining strong numbers throughout August.
José RamÃrez of the Cleveland Guardians holds fourth place. Known for consistent play, RamÃrez is on track for another notable season with strong statistics across multiple categories.
Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers rounds out the top five. Skubal is making a case for both Cy Young and MVP consideration, leading AL pitchers in several statistical categories including WHIP (0.87) and ERA (2.32).
Other players receiving votes include Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Nick Kurtz, George Springer, Riley Greene, Junior Caminero, Garrett Crochet, Julio RodrÃguez, and Bo Bichette.
In the National League race, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers remains firmly in first place with 34 first-place votes. Ohtani’s dual contributions as both hitter and pitcher have kept him at the forefront; he is tied for the league lead with 45 home runs while also posting significant pitching stats.
Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies is second after hitting 45 home runs and leading MLB with 109 RBIs so far this season.
Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs sits third thanks to his high bWAR (6.4) and near-30-30 season.
Trea Turner of the Phillies appears fourth after leading his league in hits (160) while contributing across several statistical areas.
Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates completes the top five among NL candidates by leading all qualified MLB pitchers with a 2.07 ERA.
Others receiving votes in this category include Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Corbin Carroll, Pete Alonso, Will Smith, Francisco Lindor, Ketel Marte, Elly De La Cruz, Christian Yelich, Geraldo Perdomo, Freddy Peralta, Kyle Stowers, Cristopher Sánchez.
