Cal Raleigh becomes AL MVP betting favorite after reaching 60 homers
Mariners catcher vaults to the top of AL MVP odds after a two-homer night, pushing aside Aaron Judge as Seattle clinches the AL West.
Cal Raleigh hit two homers as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Colorado Rockies 9-2 on Wednesday, a performance that vaulted the Mariners catcher to the top of the American League MVP betting board. DraftKings Sportsbook listed Raleigh at -220 to win the award, with Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees at +180. Raleigh’s two-homer night also pushed him to 60 homers on the season, making him the seventh MLB player to reach that mark and the first catcher to do so.
Raleigh’s milestone helped Seattle clinch the AL West title, their first division crown since the 2001 season when the club posted its historic 116-win campaign. He carries a .248/.361/.598 slash line with 60 home runs, 125 RBIs and a WAR of 7.2, ranking among the league leaders in multiple metrics. The 60-homer season marks a rare achievement for a catcher and has propelled his MVP candidacy into the forefront as the Mariners push toward the postseason. Judge, who reached 60 homers in 2022, is hitting .328/.455/.681 this season with 51 home runs and a 9.3 WAR, and remains in the mix as the Yankees also pursue a playoff berth. Both teams have four games remaining this season, with Raleigh facing Colorado again before Seattle hosts the Dodgers, and Judge finishing his schedule against the White Sox and Orioles.
With the market moving in Raleigh’s direction, the breadth of the MVP conversation is shifting. The rarity of a catcher reaching 60 homers this late in the season, combined with Seattle’s division-clinching performance, has amplified Raleigh’s standing in the eyes of bettors and the potential BBWAA voters who weigh a player’s power numbers heavily. The move away from Judge signals that, in 2025, home-run total and positional novelty can influence the MVP calculus as much as the season-long pace and team impact. Analysts note that the change reflects how voters evaluate value in a season where power numbers dominate the headlines and where a catcher who reaches a historic milestone can disrupt expectations.
As the finish line approaches, the MVP race sits at a crossroads. Judge remains one of the most productive hitters in the game, and his pursuit of the batting title—along with robust counting stats and playoff potential for the Yankees—keeps him firmly in the conversation. Raleigh’s rise, however, adds a compelling narrative that a catcher can carry an MVP bid through a milestone season tied to a division title, a combination that has historically tilted the odds toward offensive fireworks and team success. The next few days will likely determine whether Raleigh’s surge is enough to overtake Judge in the eyes of voters and the betting market, or whether Judge can reclaim the edge with a strong finish.
