Cal Raleigh Emerging as AL MVP Contender Amid Historic Season
In MLB's latest MVP polls for the American League, Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh finished in second place behind reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge.
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The poll, conducted by a panel of MLB.com experts, includes players like Jose Ramierez, Bobby Witt Jr., and Tarik Skubal, all of whom are having fantastic starts to the year.
Cal Raleigh was the most surprising player on this list heading into the season, given that the Mariners had missed the playoffs the previous year. Not much was expected of the team, which struggled to add significant offense to its lineup.
Currently, the Mariners sit in second place in the AL West at 45-41. Much of their success is due to the incredible season Raleigh is having, possibly one of the best seasons by any catcher in recent memory. He is hitting .272 with a .383 on-base percentage and a remarkable 33 home runs so far this season, the most for a catcher before the MLB All-Star Game on July 15.
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These numbers have helped keep the Mariners' postseason hopes alive. With the team in a realistic spot to potentially make the Wild Card, they seem prepared to ride Raleigh's bat if it means a chance at the playoffs.
Last offseason, Raleigh signed a six-year, $105 million deal. At the time, it looked like an absolute steal for a player who provides Platinum Glove defense and power hitting, while maintaining a high on-base percentage.
For now, Raleigh's chances of taking home the hardware are very real, and the idea of him being a dark horse candidate appears to be paying off. For the Mariners, they have a real shot at the playoffs if they can add some offensive firepower. It's rather likely that Raleigh will not slow down anytime soon after such a stellar performance; he shows no signs of regression.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
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