Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) shakes hands with right fielder Dominic Canzone (8) after scoring a run against the Minnesota Twins in the third inning at Target Field on June 24. Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Cal Raleigh is Now Getting Recognition From the Likes of ESPN and GQ Magazine

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 12:19 PM ET

Seattle Mariners starting catcher Cal Raleigh is finally starting to get the national recognition that he deserves for the season he is having. Raleigh, who leads the majors in home runs with 32 entering play on Wednesday, appeared on the popular Barstool Sports podcast 'Pardon My Take' this week, and then got some recognition from SportsCenter, and then was featured in GQ of all places.

“Whenever someone wants me to sign a bobblehead, they want me to do it on the butt,” says Cal Raleigh, the breakout Seattle Mariners star with a world-class nickname and a knack for crushing monster dingers. https://t.co/GqRZ5wgaO4
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) June 25, 2025

When @notthefakeSVP wants to talk about Cal Raleigh, you talk about Cal Raleigh. pic.twitter.com/xURCCF6mbc
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 25, 2025

Furthermore, the guys over at Jomboy Media are making discussing whether or not Raleigh can win the American League MVP Award over Aaron Judge.

Is the MVP race close?

WATCH: https://t.co/UlXyF6K8Im
LISTEN: https://t.co/pESviQfowv pic.twitter.com/WWmhZgG7r2
— Wake n Jake (@WakeJakeJM) June 23, 2025

Through just 78 games this season, Raleigh is hitting an impressive .281 with 32 homers and 69 RBIs. He's got a .386 on-base percentage and is carrying an OPS of 1.053. He's the biggest reason why the Mariners are in contention for a playoff berth as we near the nominal halfway point of the season.

The M's are currently 41-37 and 4.5 games back of the Houston Astros in the American League West, though they own the third and final wild card spot right now.

Raleigh's career-high in home runs is 34 and his career-high in RBIs is 100, and he's on pace to shatter both of those.

The M's will be back in action on Wednesday afternoon when they take on the Twins at 4:40 p.m. PT at Target Field. Seattle will send right-hander George Kirby to the mound against Twins' ace Joe Ryan.

Kirby is 1-3 with a 6.16 ERA while Ryan has gone 7-3 with a 3.06. The Mariners have scored 47 runs in the last five games.

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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