The New York Yankees are back in the New York groove and have the spot in the power rankings to prove it.
In new rankings compiled by The Athletic, the Yankees moved up two spaces from tenth to tied for seventh with the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres. Fellow AL East foe the Toronto Blue Jays tied for fifth place with the Chicago Cubs.
Writer Chad Jennings also tabbed Yankees slugger Aaron Judge will win his third AL MVP award, and second in a row.
“We could try to be clever and suggest Jazz Chisholm Jr. for a Silver Slugger, but the fact is, Judge remains the most relevant award candidate in the Bronx,” Jennings wrote. “Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is getting a lot of well-deserved attention and consideration, but Judge (even after missing some time) is still the Major League leader in fWAR and is on pace to win the Major League Triple Crown — and it probably won’t be close in any of the categories. That would be a historic achievement in what will be, at best, Judge’s third-best major-league season.”
Aug 30, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Judge is boasting a .324 batting average, .443 on-base percentage and .674 slugging percentage, leading the league in all three categories. Judge is second in the AL in home runs, with 43, behind Raleigh’s 50. He recently broke into the Yankees’ top five all-time home run scorers, tying franchise legend Yogi Berra with 358.
While Judge is unquestionably an MVP candidate, many fans and analysts alike have been drawn to Raleigh’s story as a catcher and switch-hitter who is able to put up so many home runs in one season. Plus, Judge’s injury and place in the lineup as designated hitter has left him without a competing narrative.
There’s a light at the end of the tunnel for Judge and the Yankees though: manager Aaron Boone said that the team expects him to return to the outfield, though there’s no official timeline. The Yankees need all the help from Judge they can get to secure their spot in both the power rankings and the AL Wild Card standings. They’re on the precipice of passing the Toronto Blue Jays for the lead going into the playoffs, but have to first survive a series against Toronto and another against their other biggest division foe, the Boston Red Sox.
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