All stats as of 9/15

With the 2025 MLB season wrapping up, it’s time to look at some of the players who are finishing some historic seasons of their own. In these, we will also discuss some candidates for awards.

Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

Starting in the American League, Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees is looking to cap off one of the greatest four-year stretches of any hitter ever. Looking to win his 3rd MVP Award in 4 years, the 33-year-old is slashing a .326 Batting Average (BA), meaning that he is successfully hitting the ball on over 30% of his attempts. He is currently performing with a .447 On Base percentage (OBP), therefore reaching a base nearly half the time he steps onto the plate. He is doing this while also cranking out 48 home runs and helping set up 102 runs batted in (RBIs). To truly capture the generational run he is on, only two players in modern MLB history have had a four-year stretch where they hit 200+ home runs, 400+ RBIs, and 30+ wins above replacement (WAR) – a measure of one’s value to their team. Those players are: Barry Bonds and Aaron Judge – one could say that is pretty good company.

Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners

Still looking at the hitting side, we head out west to Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who is having a historic season due to his hitting power. Catchers like Raleigh are not expected to be a dominant force at the plate, considering they have to control the flow of the game with the pitcher for nine innings at a time. And still Raleigh has racked up 30 home runs in two out of the last three seasons and is considered one of the best hitter and catcher combination players of all time. However, this year, the first-time all-star has unleashed his full potential, hitting an MLB-leading 54 home runs and American League-leading 115 RBIs. As the season wraps up, Raleigh will be looking to take home his first American League MVP award.

Garret Chrochet, Boston Red Sox, and Tarik Skubel, Detroit Tigers

Switching to pitching, Garret Chrochet of the Boston Red Sox and Tarik Skubel of the Detroit Tigers are duking it out for the American League Cy Young award – an award given to the best pitcher in each league. Crochet had an All-Star season with the White Sox before being traded in the offseason. Even before the completion of his first season in Boston, he had already proved that he was worth the prospects the Red Sox gave up for him. In his first season with the Red Sox, he led the MLB in strikeouts while also pitching more innings than any other pitcher. He has won over 75% of his 30 starts while maintaining an impressively low 2.63 Earned Run Average (ERA), making him the ace of the substantial Red Sox rotation. On the other hand, Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is looking to win his second straight American League Cy Young award, dominantly too; he will be tough to beat. In 29 starts, the Tiger has a 13-5 record, a 2.26 ERA, 224 strikeouts, and a pitching best 6.2 WAR.

Nick Kurtz, Oakland Athletics

Now, for the American League Rookie of the Year, there is perceived to be a clear-cut answer here. Nick Kurtz of the Oakland Athletics is having a historic rookie season, one only rivaled by some of the greatest hitters the game has ever seen. Standing at six feet five inches and 240 pounds, Kurtz has hit a monstrous 32 home runs in his first 102 career games, along with 82 RBIs. Slashing .298 BA, .392 OBP, .628 slugging (Slg), and 1.019 on base + slugging (OPS), one stat that really captures his unreal power in his rookie season. There have only been six rookies in MLB history with a .600 SLG or higher, including the following: 2017 Aaron Judge, 2007 Ryan Braun, 2001 Albert Pujols, 1987 Mark McGwire, and 1939 Ted Williams. Noticing a pattern? Kurtz is on track to be one of the greatest players in the game.

Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers

For these next few players, we will be discussing the similarly unbelievable seasons. But this time, we will be heading over to the National League, starting with the unicorn that is Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, who is looking to win his fourth MVP in five years. If you thought Judge was on a terror, imagine being that good of a hitter while also pitching! The Japanese star won MVP last year despite having an elbow injury keeping him from pitching all season. He has become the first player ever to hit 50 home runs and have 50 stolen bases in a season. This year, he is leading the MLB with 135 runs scored. On the mound, he has been really solid in the limited innings he has pitched since being back from injury. This year serves as a slow and steady return to pitching for the Dodger star, who is trying to lead the Dodgers Blue to a second straight World Series title.

Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs

In the Midwest, there is a new superstar emerging in Chicago. At just 23 years old, Pete Crow-Armstrong (PCA) is having one of the most impressive all-around seasons, not only for a young player, but for any player. His one fault is his consistent strikeouts; however, he has still managed to hit 29 home runs. At the plate, he has unleashed his power potential, smacking 29 home runs with 88 RBIs. Despite having a large strikeout issue, he is showing greater power promise way earlier in his career than expected. Becoming one of the faces of the next generation of MLB stars, PCA has used his elite speed to steal 35 bases while also looking to win his first Gold Glove. He is one of the most valuable defenders in the league and has 2.1 defensive WAR, which is in the top ten among MLB position players. With PCA having his breakout season at such a young age, Chicago sees him as a future star.

Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies

For now, Armstrong and the squad look ahead to the playoffs.. Next, we move to the East Coast to check out the Philadelphia Phillies. In the last year of his contract, Kyle Schwarber has had by far the best season of his career. With the Phillies officially clinching the NL East division, he has been one of the main reasons this team continues to perform well, even while serving as the designated hitter. In 151 games, Schwarber has an MLB-leading 127 RBIs and a National League-leading 52 home runs. With this type of season, he is setting himself up to be paid very well this offseason. He has set career highs in home runs, RBIs, OPS, and OPS+. Despite not playing the field, the lefty slugger is setting himself up to get some MVP votes, along with a nice payday come offseason.

Zach Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies

Also in Philadelphia, 35-year-old Zach Wheeler has found himself in contention for another Cy Young award-winning season before going down with a season-ending injury on August 15th after his start against the Washington Nationals. In the 24 starts he made this year, he has a 10-5 record, a 2.71 ERA, and 195 strikeouts in almost 150 innings. The ace was looking to win his first Cy Young award after having already had two runner-up finishes for the award. Wheeler has arguably been one of the most valuable starters in the MLB since joining the Phillies in 2020. In six seasons with Philadelphia (ages 30-35), the right-hander has made 157 starts, racking up a 2.91 ERA, over 1,000 strikeouts, and 30.4 WAR. That is the top five in every category for a starting pitcher since 2020, talking about consistency.

Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers

With Wheeler being injured, three pitchers are battling for the National League Cy Young award. We will start with Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta. Peralta has been a very good pitcher for a couple of years now, making an All-Star Game back in 2021. But this year has become the best version of himself, being a winner and the most reliable he has ever been as a starter. He leads the National League with 16 wins (16-6 record), which is also a career high. He has also set a career high in WAR with 5.2. Peralta has been the Brewers’ leader all year and has been a big reason they have taken control of the NL Central.

Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants

We go back out west to look at San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb. Like Wheeler, Webb has been one of the most consistent pitchers since 2021. At only 29 years old, Webb has established himself as a consistent threat on the mound. This year, Webb has a 14-10 record with a 3.34 ERA and a National League-leading 206 strikeouts. Webb is also looking to lead the NL in innings for the third straight year. In 31 starts, he has racked up 188.2 innings, with 200 innings in the previous two seasons. He is looking to get here with two starts left, as the Giants will need him in their push for the wild card.

Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates

Finally, the last candidate hails from Pittsburgh, Pa. Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes is having one of the most dominant starts for a pitcher in his career. After finishing third in Cy Young voting last year as a rookie in 23 starts. The 23-year-old has once again posted an ERA under 2.00 and proven himself to be worth all the hype. In 30 starts, the right-hander has an MLB-leading 1.92 ERA, a 10-9 record, a league-best 7.4 pitching WAR, and an unreal 225 ERA+ (125% better than the league average), by far the best. Skenes has fewer wins than the other candidates due to his team as a whole, but that does not stop him from being a dominant force within his role.

With the season winding down, we will see some thrilling award and playoff races. For now, it is good to appreciate some of the great seasons these players have had. Although it is disappointing to see the regular season come to an end, the playoffs should be even more exciting.