Mariners need Cal Raleigh to wake up

Contrary to expectations, the Seattle Mariners' pitching corps has had its share of troubles this season, with the possible exception of Bryan Woo, who is lining up one quality start after another.

Instead, it's the man vying for the American League's Most Valuable Player award with New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge who has dragged the Washington State outfit along on his shoulders since the start of the current campaign. We're talking about Cal Raleigh, of course.

And if the Mariners want to qualify for the playoffs, they'll have to demand even more from their star, who has already given them plenty.

But it won't be that simple. There's a reason why it's so hard to be a great hitter while playing catcher. It's because the number two position is extremely demanding, and playing as often as Cal Raleigh can only take its toll towards the end of the season.

And that's exactly what's been happening since the All-Star break, when Raleigh posted a batting average of .206 with an OPS of .757 over that period.

At the start of the year, when Raleigh was at the top of its game, the Mariners were one of the best teams in Major League Baseball, dominating their opponents more often than not. But when the ambidextrous slugger began to slow down in August, he took Seattle down with him.

If Raleigh is to even have a shot at the MVP award and help its team compete in the fall dance, it will have to get back to its early-season standards, and fast.

This content was created with the help of AI.