Marlins' ex-president reasons Aaron Judge’s omission in his 2025 AL MVP prediction

Modified Mar 26, 2025 22:20 GMT

MLB: Spring Training-New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles - Source: Imagn — Marlins ex-president reasons Aaron Judge’s omission in his 2025 AL MVP prediction - Source: Imagn

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is unlikely to win the 2025 AL MVP, former Marlins president David Samson predicts.

In the March 26 edition of the "Nothing Personal with David Samson" show, the Marlins' ex-president named Kansas City Royals star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. as the main contender for the 2025 AL MVP award.

Samson declared:

“AL MVP, +450, you know who I have: Bobby Witt.”

Samson praised Witt Jr.’s overall skillset, defending his candidacy for the American League’s top player.

Samson underscored why Aaron Judge is unlikely to win the 2025 AL MVP award by stating:

“When you look at the fact that Ohtani is now in the National League. When you look at the fact that Aaron Judge is still in the American League but the Yankees are not going to have as successful a season as I predict the Royals will have, that’s why I’ve got Bobby Witt winning the AL MVP.”

The Yankees are expected to regress this upcoming season, particularly after losing ace Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery.

While it remains to be seen if Aaron Judge can carry the Yankees on his back for most of the season, the Yankees’ failure to have a successful season could ultimately doom Judge’s chances at winning the AL MVP.

Tickets to see Aaron Judge and Yankees play surprisingly cheap

An article in Sports Illustrated looked at the New York Yankees’ home ticket prices. The piece, published on March 25, discussed an article from the NY Post, stating that tickets for Yankees’ home games start as low as $4 before taxes and fees.

The piece asserts that ticket prices should be much higher, given the level of talent and name-brand recognition in the Yankees’ lineup.

However, that is not the case. Moreover, the article points out that some of the most expensive seats start at $93 before taxes and fees. While the resale market shows much higher prices, the overall price point for Yankees’ tickets remains competitively priced.

The piece makes a simple argument for the Yankees’ ticket prices by stating:

“Any team with Aaron Judge on it is worth watching, regardless of who ends up surrounding him.”

It remains to be seen if the Yankees can repeat their World Series run of last season. They continue to be one of the American League’s dominant clubs, though they will likely face stiff competition from other clubs, like the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox.

The article concludes that fans should take advantage of low ticket prices to see a star like Judge, among others, this season, even if the Yankees don’t have a stellar season.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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Edited by Akshay Saraswat