MLB MVP Rankings: Ohtani gains separation, Judge historically great

Welcome to the second edition of theScore's 2025 Most Valuable Player rankings, where we look at the top five players in each league. Let's examine some of the best performances through the first two-plus months of the season. Odds courtesy theScore Bet.

American League

5. Jacob Wilson, Athletics

Is Wilson the second coming of Tony Gwynn? It's hard to take such a lofty comparison seriously, but the 23-year-old shortstop is a hitting machine. The standout rookie is second in the AL with a .355 batting average and 80 hits after slashing .401/.446/.606 during a meteoric rise in the minors from 2023-24. Wilson already looks like a potential lock for AL Rookie of the Year.

4. Jeremy Peña, Astros

The 27-year-old Peña already has a sparkling resume, which includes a Gold Glove, ALCS MVP, World Series MVP, and championship ring. However, he's basically been a league-average hitter until his bat caught up to his glove this season. The shortstop has accrued the fourth-most fWAR in the AL and is on pace to flirt with a 30-30 campaign while sitting in the 93rd percentile in outs above average. Peña's strong play is a reason Bobby Witt Jr. is off this list - at least for now.

3. José Ramírez, Guardians

It was only a matter of time before Ramírez entered the MVP conversation. The 32-year-old has finished top six in voting on six occasions, including three times as a finalist. The six-time All-Star could once again challenge to become only the seventh member of the 40-40 club after falling one homer short in 2024. Ramírez is in the AL's top five in batting average, slugging percentage, OPS, stolen bases, and wRC+.

2. Cal Raleigh, Mariners

Raleigh could end up with the best season from a catcher in MLB history. The 28-year-old is on pace to shatter Salvador Perez's 2021 record of 48 homers by a backstop. He's tracking to top Buster Posey's 9.8 fWAR from 2012 - the highest total a catcher has accumulated. Unfortunately, Raleigh's year for the ages might be eclipsed by Aaron Judge's greatness.

1. Aaron Judge, Yankees

If Raleigh is having an all-time season for a catcher, then Judge is poised to have the finest campaign by a position player in baseball history. Babe Ruth amassed 14.7 fWAR in 1923 after recording 41 homers, 130 RBIs, 170 walks, 151 runs, and a 1.309 OPS. Judge is more than a third of the way there with almost four months to go. The Yankees captain's 241 wRC+ is 58 points higher than the second-best total in the majors among qualified hitters, showing the advantage Judge has over his peers.

National League

5. Kyle Schwarber, Phillies

Schwarber vaulted into the top five following a scorching month. The two-time All-Star went deep eight times with 18 RBIs and a .969 OPS across his last 25 games. He's on pace to surpass the 50-homer plateau for the first time in his career after belting 46 long balls in 2022 and 47 in 2023. The 32-year-old's bat has the Phillies positioned to battle the Mets for the NL East crown.

4. Francisco Lindor, Mets

Pete Alonso was getting all the attention in Queens when the first rankings dropped in early May. However, the spotlight has shifted to the reigning NL MVP runner-up. Lindor leads all MLB shortstops with 14 homers and is third in RBIs and second in slugging percentage and OPS. He's easily been the best player by fWAR on the division-leading Mets.

3. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers

We need to start talking more about Freeman's absurd season. He leads the NL in batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS while playing on a surgically repaired ankle, which he injured again in mid-April. The star first baseman's 192 wRC+ is tops in that league and second to Judge among qualified hitters. Freeman's MVP candidacy would probably be getting more attention if Shohei Ohtani wasn't doing Shohei Ohtani things.

2. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs

Crow-Armstrong has been one of the linchpins of the Cubs' offensive revival. In addition to being tied for the major-league lead in steals, the five-tool star has the NL's best fWAR and is second in RBIs and runs. The 23-year-old's strong play in center field will likely lead to a Gold Glove in the near future. He ranks in the 100th percentile in outs above average, 88th in arm value, and 94th in arm strength.

1. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers

It didn't take long for Ohtani to seize control of the NL MVP race. The only question now is if anybody will stop him from taking home his third consecutive MVP trophy and fourth in five years. The 30-year-old always finds a new way to blow people's minds. After matching a Dodgers record for round-trippers in a single month with 15 during May, Ohtani could hit 60 homers this season for the first time in his career. He's doing all this while ramping up to make a potential return to the mound in the second half of the campaign as a No. 1 starter. Unbelievable.