Will Cal Raleigh win MVP? Mariners catcher’s record-setting season increases his odds

Billy Heyen

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Will Cal Raleigh win MVP? Mariners catcher’s record-setting season increases his odds image

Cal Raleigh had an MVP season.

That doesn't necessarily mean the Seattle Mariners' catcher will actually be named the American League's Most Valuable Player when the award is announced Thursday night.

The New York Yankees' Aaron Judge had a tremendous campaign, too.

But it's worth remembering just how special Raleigh's 2025 was, whether or not he wins.

The thing Raleigh has going for him, more than anything else, is the records.

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Raleigh broke three long-standing home run records by getting to 60 homers this season.

The first to fall came when Raleigh got to home run 49. The previous single-season record for home runs by a catcher was 48, by Salvador Perez. Raleigh ended up beating that mark by 25%.

The next came when Raleigh slugged his 55th home run. The previous single-season record for home runs by a switch-hitter was 54, held by the legendary Mickey Mantle. Raleigh moved past that, too.

And then on home run 57, Raleigh set a new Mariners single-season homer record. Ken Griffey Jr. Had topped out at 56.

By finishing with 60, Raleigh also tied Babe Ruth for the third-most home runs in an American League season ever.

Judge has some hitting numbers on his side, but it's also hard to quantify the added difficulty on a player and benefit to his team that Raleigh encounters by catching, while Judge spent the season splitting time between right field and designated hitter.

Either hitter will be worthy, but the most fitting way for Raleigh's record-setting season to go down in history would be as the MVP.

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Staff Writer