The New York Yankees lost in the playoffs again in 2025, but had a great regular season. With 94 wins, they lost the AL East on a tiebreaker to the Toronto Blue Jays. Yankees captain Aaron Judge won his third MVP, narrowly beating Cal Raleigh. General manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone praised the captain after the win.

“Aaron has been playing in rarified air for much of his career,” Cashman said in the statement. “His devotion to his craft, his continuous pursuit of excellence, and the importance he placed on being a teammate who can be counted on help define his legacy just as much as his three MVP Awards. He's a once-in-a-generation player who embodies so much of what is good about our game. Aaron is being celebrated again tonight, and rightfully so. He has blossomed into one of sports' greatest superstars.”

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“I know I say this often when meeting with our media throughout the season, but I don't ever want to become desensitized by the consistency and the enormity of his accomplishments,” Boone said. “It's becoming increasingly difficult for me to use words to capture how good he is. He's just playing at a higher level, and has been for quite some time. It has been an absolute privilege to watch Aaron's ascension.”

Boone continued, “He's already fashioned a career that matches up with the all-time greats. I see it every single day – and I think it's critical to acknowledge the work that Aaron puts in to maintain this inconceivable level of excellence as a player. While we are in awe of everything he does between the lines, he is beloved in our clubhouse for how he embraces his role as captain, prioritizing the needs and success of the team above himself. I am thrilled to see Aaron acknowledged again in this way. Congratulations AJ!”

Judge lost the home run chase to Raleigh, but his other offensive numbers blew the Mariners' catcher out of the water. That led him to his second consecutive MVP Award.