Cal Raleigh is a big man, but he’s not big enough to carry an entire Seattle Mariners team on his back.
The Mariners’ catcher is already a franchise icon for his nickname “The Big Dumper,” and the fact that he propelled the franchise to its first playoff berth in 20 years with a walk-off home run in 2022. However, this season, Raleigh has taken another step. Not only is he the best player on the team, but he is also one of the best in baseball.
And in true Mariners fashion, the team is probably going to let his incredible season go to waste.
After a red-hot start in May, the Mariners have been in a free fall since losing three of four games to the Astros on Memorial Day weekend. Since May 22, the team is 5-14 and is now three games behind the Astros in the American League West. While the rest of the team has nosedived, Raleigh has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball. Over the last month, Raleigh is hitting .301 with 13 home runs and a .377 on-base percentage. That’s nearly as many home runs as the rest of the team has combined during that same stretch. The rest of the lineup even set a dubious MLB mark on June 8. Over its previous 15 games, Raleigh led the team with 10 home runs, while seven others tied for second with 1. He led the team with 20 RBI, followed by two others with 5 each. According to OptaStats, “this is the first time in MLB history a team had a 15-game span where one player had 10+ homeruns and 20+ RBI while no one else had more than one home run or 5 RBI.”
Essentially, without Cal Raleigh, the Mariners would be near the basement in their division. As it is, they are struggling to stay afloat while the offense predictably collapses for the fourth straight season. Injuries have rocked the pitching staff, and a once rock-solid bullpen has already started to show cracks. Without offensive help, Raleigh is on an island. It’s an impressive island to be sure, but one MLB teams already have a blueprint to beat. When you are facing a team with one incredible hitter and eight easy outs, just don’t pitch to the one player and force everyone else to beat you. This is a bit of an exaggeration for the Mariners, as both Julio Rodriguez and JP Crawford are putting up decent offensive seasons. But outside of that? It’s best not to look.
The team is midway through June with a first base platoon hitting below the Mendoza line and a designated hitter batting .176 with one home run since May 1. Those are two of the easiest to fill offensive positions on a baseball roster, and the Mariners would currently be better off letting a pitcher hit in those spots.
The Mariners have a few reinforcements available in the minor leagues, but their stock of high-level offensive prospects is starting to thin out. They recently called up second baseman Cole Young from Tacoma after a torrid start there. They previously called up third baseman Ben Williamson. Catcher Harry Ford would be an instant upgrade at designated hitter and backup catcher if called up. First Baseman Tyler Locklear has cooled somewhat after a hot start, but would be hard pressed to do much worse than the team’s current options at first base. They could also trade for help, but sellers are few, and the Mariners’ flaws are so apparent that the cost will be high.
While the rest of the team crumbles around him, Raleigh is on pace to set career highs in pretty much every offensive category. He could surpass his previous career high in home runs by the All-Star break. His batting average is currently up almost 40 points from last season, and his on-base percentage, which has never been a strong suit due to his propensity for strikeouts, is up a whopping 60 points. His offensive improvements complement his stellar defense and steady presence behind the plate. By the time he’s done, Raleigh may not only be the greatest Seattle catcher ever, but he may also be in contention for the best catcher of the decade in MLB.
While it would be fantastic to see Raleigh’s number added to the outfield fence at T-Mobile Park someday, it would be wonderful to see it there alongside a few playoff banners. As it stands now, he is well on his way to joining the likes of Ichiro and Felix Hernandez, all-time greats who excelled in a Seattle uniform, only for their achievements to be wasted season after season.
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