Seattle Mariners Star Labeled as a 'Hero' By Local Sports Radio Personality

If you remember, the Mariners missed the playoffs in 2023 by one game. Raleigh had this to say at the end of the season, per the Seattle Times, and relayed by the New York Post.

“We’ve got to commit to winning, we have to commit to going and getting those players you see other teams going out (to get), going for it, getting big-time pitchers, getting big-time hitters. We have to do that to keep up,” Raleigh said of the team, which is known for being reserved in free agency, according to the Seattle Times.

“I think we’ve done a great job of growing some players here and within the farm system, but sometimes you have to go out and buy, and that’s just the name of the game. We’ll see what happens this offseason. Hopefully, we can add some players and become a better team.”

It's unclear if Raleigh's comments in 2023 sparked the action and urgency of this trade deadline, but either way, Raleigh has emerged as a leader in the organization. And since he signed a new six-year contract before the start of this season, he's going to be around for a while. What he says and feels clearly carries weight, and it's good to see the front office and ownership do what they need to do to build a winner. That appears to have appeased Raleigh, which is good for clubhouse culture as well.

The Mariners are the only franchise to never make the World Series, and they enter play on Thursday in a tie for the third and final wild card spot in the AL. They'll take on the Texas Rangers on Thursday at 6:40 p.m. PT.