Seattle, WA
Seattle Mariners’ Raleigh, Wilson named MLB award finalists
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh and manager Dan Wilson have each been selected as finalists for two of MLB’s most prestigious awards.
This is a big week for the Seattle Mariners and Jorge Polanco’s future
Raleigh was named as one of three finalists for the American League MVP and Wilson as one of three finalists for AL Manager of the Year during an MLB Network broadcast on Monday.
Raleigh was nominated alongside New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez.
The 28-year-old catcher is coming off a record-setting year in which helped the Mariners win their first AL West title and reach their first AL Championship Series in 24 years. He mashed 60 home runs, becoming just the seventh player in MLB history to reach the historic mark. In the process, he broke Mickey Mantle’s home run record for switch-hitters (54) and Salvador Perez’s for catchers (48). He also became the first player to hit 20 home runs from each side of the plate in a single season.
Raleigh slashed .247/.359/.589 with a .948 OPS, 161 wRC+ and an AL-leading 125 RBIs over 159 games this season. His 9.1 fWAR was the second most of any AL player, trailing only Judge’s 10.1.
The last Mariner to win AL MVP was Ichiro Suzuki in 2001.
While Ramírez is included in the race, it’s widely known to be a two-man showdown between Raleigh and Judge.
New York’s slugging outfielder led MLB in all three triple-slash categories at .331/.457/.688 with a 1.114 OPS, 53 home runs and 114 RBIs. No other AL player had an OPS of 1.000. His 204 wRC+ was also 38 points higher than the next AL batter.
Judge has a clear advantage over Raleigh in just about every offensive category outside of home runs and RBI, but Raleigh’s case carries the argument of playing a premium defensive position and having an unmeasurable impact as an everyday catcher. Raleigh, who logged 1,072 innings behind the plate in 2025, played nearly 250 more innings in the field than Judge (822 1/3 innings).
Wilson, who took over in late August 2024, went 21-13 in the team’s remaining 34 games last season. This year, the Mariners finished the regular season with a record of 90-72, with Wilson becoming the first manager in club history to take the team to the postseason or win a division title in his first full season.
Wilson is joined by former Mariners bullpen coach and reigning AL Manager of the Year Stephen Vogt of the Cleveland Guardians and Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider as finalists for manager of the year.
Wilson is vying to join two-time winner and fellow Mariners Hall of Famer Lou Piniella (1995 and 2001) as the only managers in club history to win the award.
The MVP and manager of the year awards are voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The winners will be announced Nov. 13 at 3 p.m. on MLB Network.
Seattle Sports Mariners insider Shannon Drayer contributed to this story.
More Seattle Mariners coverage
• Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver becomes free agent
• Julio Rodríguez falls short of first Gold Glove
• Why a pitcher trade may finally be a part of Seattle Mariners’ offseason
• M’s fans should be ready for an uncomfortable Josh Naylor free agency
• Cal Raleigh named top MLB player by peers
We haven’t been through The Junction in a few days so we don’t know how long this has been up, but this mural on the east side of the California/Erskine 7-Eleven caught our eye this evening, so we pulled over for a quick through-the-windshield pic. It bears both the Coca-Cola and 7-Eleven logos, so we’re pretty sure it’s official, though probably not part of the major Seattle World Cup mural project. (Seen other signs of World Cup mania-to-come in West Seattle? Let us know – thank you!)
SEATTLE — In neighborhoods like Little Saigon, near 12th and Jackson, the drug crisis is hard to miss.
Crowds gather on sidewalks, some openly using drugs while others sell stolen goods. The area has become one of Seattle’s most visible hotspots for crime, disorder, and overdose response.
RELATED | Seattle rolls out diversion program for misdemeanor drug cases
Seattle’s drug ordinance was meant to address scenes like this. It requires police to focus on diversion, not jail, for people caught using or possessing drugs.
On Tuesday, the Seattle City Council’s Public Safety Committee received a presentation on the effectiveness of the drug law and the diversion programs officers can make referrals to instead of jail.
Under department policy, officers are encouraged to refer people to treatment or services whenever possible. Arrest is supposed to be a last resort. And programs like LEAD, or Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, are available 24/7 to divert people before they ever reach jail.
Research presented during the public safety presentation shows diversion can work. Independent studies found LEAD reduced repeat offenses by nearly 60%, cut felony charges, and significantly increased housing and employment outcomes.
However, the reality on the ground looks significantly different.
SEE ALSO | Belltown residents report rampant drug activity despite new SODA law
Open drug use remains a common sight in some of Seattle’s hardest-hit neighborhoods, even as the city’s drug law was designed to prioritize treatment over jail.
From 2024 to 2025, pre-arrest diversion dropped by 41%, and LEAD diversions overall fell by 30%. At the same time, arrests increased by 47%.
Funding cuts to LEAD in recent years had an impact on reducing its capacity, though that funding has since been stabilized.
During the meeting, Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes said diversion is still a key part of the solution, but not the only one. Barnes said officers need clearer standards for when to act, especially as the public grows frustrated seeing illegal drug use happening openly, sometimes right in front of police.
Current policy includes a broad checklist of factors before making an arrest, from a person’s behavior to their location near schools, parks, or transit. That complexity can lead to inaction.
SEE ALSO | Evaluating Seattle’s efforts against open-air drug use presents progress and challenges
Barnes also pointed to operational realities, including staffing challenges and limited diversion capacity, as factors affecting how the law is being enforced.
Meanwhile, illegal street sales continue to fuel the crisis, creating environments where drug use, theft, and violence intersect.
During public testimony at the start of the meeting, some community members said what’s needed is a more balanced approach, one that enforces clear public behavior standards while expanding access to treatment and outreach.
Without that, the system risks leaving neighborhoods unsafe while also not providing the help needed by people living with addiction.
You can’t have a “bee garden” without bees. So these bees showed up just in time for the heart of spring, and beyond, at the West Seattle Bee Garden in High Point. Thanks to Amy for this update (with video and photo):
Meet the new neighbors!
We’ve recently installed new honeybee hives at West Seattle Bee Garden. The bees are settling in to their new home, and the garden is starting to come alive for spring.
We are also gearing up for the annual Bee Fest, May 16th from 12-3 pm, where the community can come for some bee demos, local honey, enjoy some family friendly activities, and get some gardening advice.
For anyone interested in volunteering, please contact wsbeefest@gmail.com.
It’s been 13 years since the West Seattle Bee Garden was launched on the north side of High Point Commons Park (Graham/Lanham).
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