Aug 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) breaks his bat on a pitch against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Mariners Superstar Tabbed 'Most Important Player of September'

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Seattle Mariners are one of the more intriguing teams in baseball this season. They're firmly in the postseason hunt, but they've fallen off over the last few weeks. A lot of this can be attributed to the fall off from sluggers Eugenio Suárez and Cal Raleigh.

Seattle will need to improve its play or else it'll be left behind in the American League. The AL is loaded with talent. Teams like the Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, and Detroit Tigers have been dominant. Seattle needs its best players to perform like it down the stretch.

R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports recently listed Raleigh as one of the most important players in baseball for the rest of the season. Raleigh has seemed to carry the team for most of the year, but he's struggled recently. The Mariners will need Raleigh to return to his previous form in order to help carry them to the postseason and beyond.

The rest of the Mariners' season rides on Cal Raleigh's back

"Raleigh isn't far behind Judge in more ways than one. He's already made his share of history by establishing a new single-season record for home runs launched by a catcher, and it's at least possible that he makes a real run at Judge's single-season AL record," Anderson wrote. "Additionally, a well-timed heater from Raleigh would boost his own MVP Award odds and the Mariners' chances of topping the Houston Astros, thereby clinching Seattle's first divisional title since the 2001 season."

Raleigh leads the league in home runs and ranks among the league's best in a lot of different categories. But the month of August wasn't kind to him. His OPS for the month was well below his season OPS. He still ran into a few home runs, but overall, the performance was down.

If he continues to struggle, the Mariners will continue to struggle. Their winning stretches tend to match up with Raleigh's hottest stretches. When he's at his best, they win. When he's struggling, they lose. The Big Dumper is the key to the Mariners' postseason run.

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

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