The Seattle Mariners and Cal Raleigh have been nothing short of incredible this season, culminating in the team clinching the AL West division title. Raleigh, in particular, is enjoying the best season of his career—one that has been historic in more ways than one. In fact, he’s broken records previously held by legends like Mickey Mantle and Ken Griffey Jr.
“The first home run from Raleigh Tuesday came in the third inning and was his 55th of the season. It's a significant number because Raleigh passed Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle and set a new record for the most home runs ever in a season by a switch-hitter. Raleigh later hit his 56th of the season, tying Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. for the Mariners' franchise record,” CBS Sports’ Matt Snyder wrote.
Throughout the season, Raleigh has been a nightmare for opposing teams—setting yet another historic mark along the way.
“Cal Raleigh of the Mariners is the first player in MLB history to have a multi-homer game against 10 different teams in the same season,” Opta Stats posted.
Now, with the postseason locked in, the only major accolade left on the table for Raleigh is the AL MVP. The primary obstacle? Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. While Judge remains the favorite, MLB Network’s Yonder Alonso made a compelling case for Raleigh’s value.
“If Cal Raleigh doesn't have the year he's having, do the Mariners still win the division? If Judge has to miss two months of baseball, do the Yankees get into the Postseason?” Alonso asked.
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There’s no denying Raleigh's critical role in Seattle's success. Without him, it’s hard to imagine the Mariners capturing the division. The Yankees, on the other hand, have a deeper, more well-rounded roster and may have had more margin for error.
That said, Judge is a former MVP and a known quantity to voters, which could make it difficult for Raleigh to gain traction. Still, Alonso’s question lingers: when it comes down to impact, who truly meant more to their team this season?