Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh was 'robbed' of MVP, Wash. Senate resolves

The Washington state Senate declared Monday what many Mariners fans have been thinking this offseason: Cal Raleigh deserved to be named the American League’s Most Valuable Player. The Mariners’ switch-hitter finished a close second in voting after a historic season that saw him blast 60 home runs, the most ever by a catcher. And he broke Mickey Mantle’s record for dingers by a switch-hitter in a single season. But that wasn’t enough to dethrone New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who also had a historically great season at the plate en route to his second straight MVP.

As the Senate honored the Mariners, Manager Dan Wilson and longtime broadcaster Rick Rizzs sat on the dais alongside Lt. Gov. Denny Heck on Monday. “WHEREAS, Cal Raleigh, despite setting the MLB record for home runs by a catcher in a season, shattering Mickey Mantle’s record for home runs by a switch hitter, setting a new Mariners home run record, and playing the most physically demanding position on the baseball field, was robbed by national baseball writers when they did not choose him as the American League Most Valuable Player,” the resolution stated, leading to laughs from lawmakers as it was read into the record.

The resolution’s sponsor, Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, put a finer point on it. “Cal was robbed,” he said on the Senate floor. “That East Coast media doesn’t know anything.” President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto and General Manager Justin Hollander sat in the gallery as the Senate honored the team. No players were in attendance.

Senators spoke of their personal connections to the team. Schoesler, a farmer, spoke of listening to Rizzs’ voice on the radio while working. Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, remembered her mother-in-law incessantly keeping score of Mariners games at age 100.

The Mariners lost last year in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, achingly close to the team’s first World Series. They come into the 2026 season with heavy expectations after falling just short. Spring Training begins in Arizona this month.