Cal Raleigh is the first switch-hitter, the first catcher, and the first Seattle Mariners player ever to hit 60 home runs in a single season.
‘The modern day Bambino!’ Hear Rizzs’ radio call of Cal’s 60th HR
He’s done so while being Seattle’s primary catcher, managing an entire pitching staff, accumulating the bumps and bruises inherent to the position, and playing Platinum Glove-caliber defense .
And perhaps most important is that his magical season is one of the biggest reasons the Mariners can call themselves AL West division champions for the first time in 24 years.
Put all that together, and you have a pretty rock-solid case for Raleigh to be the American League MVP.
Some big names in national media sure think so, even though New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge has bette