The numbers that the Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh and the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge have put up this season have been mind-boggling. Because of that, the AL MVP race has been a two-man show for seemingly the entire season.

But who deserves the hardware? It's a debate that keeps raging in all corners of Major League Baseball, and beyond.

The case for Cal Raleigh

Raleigh has developed into one of the game's premier power hitters over the last four seasons, hitting 27, 30 and 34 home runs over the previous three before taking things to an entirely different level in 2025.

Fresh off hitting his 59th and 60th of the season on Wednesday night, the 28-year-old catcher has a handful of games left to break Judge's 2022 AL record of 62 in a single season, which is one more than previous record holder Roger Maris hit during his magical 1961 season.

Raleigh's prowess for the long ball -- he now owns the record for most homers in a season by a switch hitter -- is clearly the main catalyst for his MVP candidacy. The fact that he has done what he has done primarily as a catcher, the most demanding physical position on the field, only adds to the legendary tale he is attempting to write.

Known affectionately as the "Big Dumper," Raleigh has blown away the single-season MLB record for homers in a season by a catcher, currently sitting 12 ahead of the previous record set by the Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez in 2021.

"When you look at how he has done it and the position that he plays -- I was telling somebody earlier today that when you come off the field, you're mentally and physically exhausted," said Mariners manager Dan Wilson, a former major league catcher. "And for him to do what he's done offensively and to do what he does behind the plate, I honestly don't think we've seen this before. It's been incredible. I think he deserves the MVP, no question."

If all of that isn't enough, Raleigh also leads the AL with 125 RBIs, which, if the season ended today, would leave him tied with Hall of Famer Johnny Bench for sixth all-time in a single season among catchers. Should Raleigh continue to pound the baseball over the Mariners' final four games, he could challenge third-place Bill Dickey, who drove in 133 with the Yankees in 1937.  

What's more, Raleigh has been the driving force in the Mariners' run to the AL West title, with seven homers and 12 RBIs over his last nine games, eight of which resulted in Seattle wins. The Mariners are the majors' hottest team with the postseason approaching, winning 16 of their last 17 overall, with Raleigh batting .297 with nine homers, 16 RBIs, and 14 walks during that stretch.

And Raleigh is doing all of this while handling a pitching staff that currently has the sixth-best team ERA in the AL -- 3.87.  

The case for Aaron Judge

Judge, who is the reigning AL MVP and is looking for his third overall, is often said to be the game's best offensive player this side of Los Angeles Dodgers dual-threat superstar Shohei Ohtani. There's nothing Judge can't do from an individual standpoint.

If not for a late July elbow injury that landed the 33-year-old outfielder on the injured list and forced him to miss 10 games, Judge could very well be right there with Raleigh trying to break the AL homer record. Through Wednesday's action, he had 51, the fourth time he has hit at least 50 during his 10-year career.

While all eyes have been on Raleigh turning opposing pitching into batting practice, Judge has been by far the game's best overall hitter. He is currently batting .328 and it doesn't look like anyone in the AL or NL will catch him. A batting title would be a first for Judge and would further cement him as one of the best offensive players in the history of the game.

Want a little more perspective? No other Yankees regular is hitting higher than .278. 

"I saw a lot of the greats. Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera, they always hit above .300. The power just came with it," Judge told MLB.com last weekend. "That's always been a goal of mine, to hit above .300, and we'll keep working toward it."

As for what Judge means to the Yankees as they pursue their first world championship since 2009, well, it goes without saying they'd probably not be in the position they are currently in without him. New York, which has already punched its ticket to the postseason, entered play Thursday tied for the AL East lead with Toronto, which holds the tiebreaker between the clubs due to winning the season series.

However, the Blue Jays have been fading of late. They led the Yankees by five games in the division on Sept. 16, only to see New York win four straight and seven of eight since. For his part, Judge has hit .346 during that span, including two homers in Wednesday's 8-1 win over the Chicago White Sox, which gave him back-to-back 50-homer seasons, a feat only accomplished by Babe Ruth in the Yankees' storied history.

The tale of the tape

Here's how Raleigh and Judge stack up by the most prominently used metrics (Note: bold indicates leader):

• Wins above replacement (WAR): Raleigh 7.2; Judge 9.3
• Games played: Raleigh 155; Judge 148
• Plate appearances: Raleigh 687; Judge 662
• Hits: Raleigh 144; Judge 173
• Home runs: Raleigh 60; Judge 51
• RBIs: Raleigh 125; Judge 109
• Stolen bases: Raleigh 14; Judge 12
• Batting average: Raleigh .248; Judge .328
• On-base percentage: Raleigh .361; Judge .455
• Slugging percentage: Raleigh .598; Judge .681
• On-base plus slugging percentage (OPS): Raleigh .959; Judge 1.136
• On-base plus slugging percentage plus (OPS+): Raleigh 172; Judge 213

So who is the AL MVP?

Judge is having the better statistical season overall, but Raleigh really has been THE story this season across the sport. While the merits of Judge winning a third MVP would be hard to argue, there's something truly extraordinary about what Raleigh is doing. The pursuit of fabled records always captivates the masses and many of the people who vote for major awards, and the fact that Raleigh is doing it as a catcher makes his case all the more compelling.