The Cleveland Guardians had one of the best players in the American League this season. Jose Ramirez’s excellence was reflected in his numbers, and it seemed that he had a legitimate chance to win MVP.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Once again, Ramirez fell short.
He finished third in the voting, behind Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh and New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who won for a second straight season and the third time in his career.
Given that this has become a common trend for the Guardians’ star, insider Sarah Langs used five words to describe Ramirez.
“Best to not win MVP,” Langs wrote. “Ramirez came in third for MVP in 2025, behind strong campaigns from Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh. This season was the sixth time in his career that Ramirez finished in the top five in MVP voting and the fourth time he was top three. If those totals sound high, it’s because they are. Ramirez finished top-three for the fourth time this season, giving him sole possession of the most such MVP voting finishes without winning the award. That’s right — since the honor was established in 1931, no player has gotten that close that often without taking home a win.”
Well, that sums things up. It has been the tale of Ramirez’s career in Major League Baseball.
Perhaps that’s a byproduct of playing for a small-market team, as he has to work twice as hard to draw national attention. Perhaps he just has had the terrible luck to coexist with some of the greatest players of all time, including Judge and two-time AL MVP Shohei Ohtani.
Whatever the case, one thing cannot be denied. Ramirez is one of the best and most impactful players in the game. He will go down as one of the greatest players in Cleveland franchise history.
As far as the MVP award, no one has been more valuable to a team than him. His numbers might not be as eye-popping, but his impact is unmatched.
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