Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh put together a dream season in 2025, but it ended in heartbreak as Seattle fell one win short of the World Series, losing 4-3 to the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night.
The switch-hitting slugger smashed 60 home runs during the regular season and added five more in the playoffs. His final blast came in Game 7 — a solo shot to right field in the fifth inning that briefly gave the Mariners a 3-1 lead.
An emotional Raleigh spoke to reporters afterward, fighting back tears as he reflected on the season. He called it a “failure,” emphasizing how high the team’s expectations had been.
“I’m super proud of these guys. It was a great team effort. I love every guy in this room, but ultimately it’s not what we wanted,” Raleigh said. “I hate to use the word failure, but it’s a failure.
We expected to get to the World Series and win it — that’s the standard we hold ourselves to. It hurts, but I don’t want that to take away from what we did. We fought all the way, and I love every single one of these guys.”
Despite the devastating loss, Raleigh remains a top contender for the AL MVP after his historic offensive season.
For the Mariners, though, the sting will linger. They held a 3-2 series lead after winning Game 5 at home but couldn’t close things out on the road. Their 3-1 advantage in Game 7 vanished after George Springer’s three-run homer in the seventh inning turned the tide for Toronto.
The Blue Jays will now advance to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, with Game 1 set for Friday night in Toronto.
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