Seattle, WA
Seattle Mariners officially announce Cal Raleigh's extension
The deal is official.
The Seattle Mariners announced in a press release Wednesday that star catcher Cal Raleigh and the club have agreed to a six-year contract extension that spans through 2030 and includes a player option for 2031.
Lefko: Cal’s commitment changes the feeling about Mariners’ future
ESPN’s Jeff Passan initially broke the news Tuesday morning that Raleigh and the Mariners were finalizing a six-year extension worth $105 million. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that the deal includes a full no-trade clause for Raleigh.
Raleigh, 28, had three years left on his initial contract.
“This place has always felt like home since I arrived here in Seattle,” Raleigh said in the team’s press release. “They took me in from day one with kindness and respect, and it is one of the top places to play in professional sports.
“I wanted to stay here because of the connection with the people of the Pacific Northwest and the Seattle Mariners, but I know it doesn’t always work out the way you want it to. I feel blessed that the Mariners gave me this opportunity, and I can’t think of a better place in MLB to call home.”
Raleigh, a 2018 third-round draft pick out of Florida State, has established himself as one of the game’s best all-around catchers since making his MLB debut in July 2021.
Raleigh led all MLB catchers in home runs for each of the past three seasons, blasting 27 homers in 2022, 30 in 2023 and a career-high 34 in 2024. He is the first catcher to lead his position in homers for three straight seasons since Hall of Famer Mike Piazza did so from 1999 to 2002.
Raleigh has been just as good behind the plate. He won the AL Platinum Glove Award this past season as the best defensive player in the league, regardless of position. He also became the first catcher in Mariners history to earn an AL Gold Glove Award.
Raleigh threw out an MLB-high 26 runners on stolen-base attempts last year, leading the majors in that category for a second straight season. He also tied for the AL lead with 16 defensive runs saved, caught an MLB-high 1,122 innings, led all AL catchers with a 5.4 FanGraphs WAR and was the backstop for a starting rotation that posted an MLB-best 3.38 ERA.
And of course, Raleigh delivered one of the most iconic moments in Mariners history with his walk-off homer in 2022 that clinched the franchise’s first playoff berth in 21 years.
“Cal has meant a lot to this organization since his time of being here, and the home run is just a small part of that,” Mariners manager and former longtime catcher Dan Wilson said prior to the team’s workout on Wednesday. “All that he has accomplished both with the bat and behind the plate is outstanding.
“And to have a guy that plays as much as Cal, that puts in the work that Cal does, that wants to get better, a guy that wants to be a leader – you put all that together and you’ve got an exceptional ballplayer.”
Raleigh and the Mariners open their 2025 season on Thursday night against the Athletics. After falling just short of the playoffs each of the past two seasons, the M’s are looking to break through this year.
“We have a great nucleus of players here and aren’t far off from bringing the World Series to Seattle,” Raleigh said in the team’s release. “It won’t be easy, but I believe ownership and management share the same vision and commitment.
“I won’t stop working and I won’t stop grinding until this city gets what it deserves, and that is a perennial playoff team and a World Series championship.”
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Seattle, WA
Cal Raleigh Just Joined Some of the Best Players in Seattle Mariners History with Latest Homer
The Seattle Mariners moved to 25-19 on the season with a big 4-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night at Petco Park.
Tied 1-1 in the top of the seventh inning, Mariners’ catcher Cal Raleigh continued the great start to his year, hitting his 15th home run. The solo blast gave the M’s a 2-1 lead before they added on in the ninth courtesy of a two-run single by Dylan Moore.
For Raleigh, the home run put him on an exclusive list with some of the best players in franchise history.
Per @MarinersPR on social media:
List of @Mariners to reach 15+ home runs in 44-or-fewer games:
Cal Raleigh (2025)
Nelson Cruz (2015)
Edgar Martinez (2000)
Alex Rodriguez 2x (1998, 2000)
Ken Griffey Jr. 4x (1994, ’97-’99)
Jay Buhner (1996)
The 28-year-old has taken another step forward offensively this year, raising his batting average to .253 and his on-base percentage to .379. Those are significantly higher than his career norms of .221/.304. He also has 31 RBIs this year to go along with five steals.
Add that to his work behind the plate, where he won the Gold Glove last year, and Raleigh is one of the most valuable players in baseball. ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney recently told our own Refuse to Lose podcast that Raleigh is an early season MVP candidate.
From May 8:
But all kidding aside, you know, early in the week on the podcast that I do, I had Paul Hembekides, a great researcher at ESPN and a huge baseball guy, and we independently, I texted him ahead of time and I said, ’okay, tell me you’re 1, 2 and 3 in the American League.’ And we both landed on Cal Raleigh being number two behind Aaron Judge, based on the fact that, you know, with the power and the way that he leads the pitching staff and the fact that the Mariners have done well. He gets on base. I mean, he checks every box.
The Mariners will take on the Padres again on Sunday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. PT.
NEW PODCAST IS OUT! Brady is back for another episode of “Refuse to Lose,” talking about the Mariners’ recent slide and some of the criticism coming Dan Wilson’s way. Should the Mariners have used Andres Munoz in the eighth inning against the Yankees? Should they have intentionally walked Aaron Judge on Wednesday? And what’s the issue with the bullpen? Brady also raises a question about Logan Gilbert’s impending return and catches up with Tacoma Rainiers standout Samad Taylor for an enlightening conversation. CLICK HERE:
BIG QUESTION FOR GILBERT: Logan Gilbert is working his way back from a Grade 1 flexor strain, but when he comes back, will he be able to use his splitter? CLICK HERE:
CRITICIZING DAN? We spoke to ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney about some of the criticism that manager Dan Wilson has gotten for Seattle in the early going this year. CLICK HERE:
Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on “X” @Teren_Kowatsch and @RefuseToLosePod. You can subscribe to the “Refuse to Lose” podcast by clicking HERE.
Seattle – A busy weekend around Puget Sound with Kendrick Lamar and Sza also taking the stage Saturday night at Lumen Field. Rain is forecast at times during the concert with cool temperatures dropping into the 40s.
Chance of rain continues through the night.
A convergence zone will settle in tonight around the King and Snohomish County area. Rain may be heavy at times with some thunder possible. Another weak disturbance will swing through tomorrow with scattered showers.
Another weak disturbance swings through on Sunday with additional scattered showers.
Onshore flow will keep our temperatures cooler than average through the weekend, but a warm-up is expected by next weekend as we celebrate Memorial Day.
Onshore flow continues on Sunday with afternoon temperatures still cooler than normal.
Along with the cooler-than-normal weather in Seattle this week, there’s an almost daily chance of showers as well. We are still looking drier, though in time for Memorial Day weekend next weekend.
Along with the cooler-than-normal weather in Seattle this week, there’s an almost daily chance of showers as well.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — J.P. Crawford homered on Stephen Kolek’s first pitch and Rowdy Tellez and Cal Raleigh each added a two-run shot for the Seattle Mariners, who beat the San Diego Padres 5-1 Friday night in the opening game of the inaugural Vedder Cup.
Seattle Mariners 5, San Diego Padres 1: Box score
Rookie Logan Evans (2-1) pitched six strong innings for the Mariners, who took a 1 1/2-game lead over the Texas Rangers in the AL West. The Padres came in trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by one game in the NL West.
J.P. Crawford launches 1st-pitch leadoff HR in return to lineup
The annual interleague series between the teams that share a spring training complex was informally known since 2011 as the Vedder Cup, a reference to Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. Vedder, who is actually a Chicago Cubs fan, spent some formative years in San Diego before moving to Seattle and joining the fledgling band in 1990. The two teams formalized the competition in March, with the winner getting a trophy featuring a guitar provided by Vedder. Pearl Jam was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
The teams play again in Seattle Aug. 25-27.
The Padres and Mariners will support EB Research Partnership, a charity co-founded by Eddie and Jill Vedder dedicated to funding research to discover treatments and cures for Epidermolysis Bullosa.
Crawford’s homer was his fourth. Tellez also connected to right with two outs in the fourth, with Raleigh aboard on a walk. It was his seventh. Raleigh homered to left, his 14th, after Julio Rodriguez singled leading off the sixth.
Evans, whose ERA was lowered by six runs on Thursday due to a scoring decision change, held the Padres to seven hits while striking out three and walking one. Only four Padres reached scoring position.
Kolek (2-1) was coming off his first career complete game in a 21-0 win at Colorado last Saturday. He allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings, with four strikeouts and one walk.
Key moment
Crawford set the tone with his 357-foot homer over the home run porch in the right field corner.
Key Stat
Crawford’s 14 leadoff homers are second in Mariners history behind Ichiro Suzuki’s 37.
Up next
Mariners RHP Emerson Hancock (1-2, 6.91 ERA) and Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (5-2, 3.05) are scheduled to start Saturday night.
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