A little more than six months ago, catcher Cal Raleigh sat in an interview room at T-Mobile Park to discuss the six-year, $105 million contract extension he signed with the Seattle Mariners.
He was back in the same spot Friday, talking about his record-setting season and the best-of-five American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, which is set to begin Saturday.
Raleigh hit an MLB-leading 60 home runs, shattering the marks for most by a primary catcher (Salvador Perez, 48 in 2021) and by a switch-hitter (Mickey Mantle, 54 in 1961). In addition, Raleigh won the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game in Atlanta with his father pitching and his little brother catching.
“I mean, it’s been a crazy year,” Raleigh said. “First off, I mean, obviously getting to win the (AL) West last week was something super special, and it’s something we haven’t done in 20-plus years. It was just nice to enjoy it with the guys, let the guard down, really just celebrate with them. And like I said, something that hasn’t been done in a long time. So it meant a little more doing that, and doing that was amazing.
“And yeah, with the rest of this stuff, you know, contracts and then everything that kind of came after that with the hot start, and then, you know, the Home Run Derby, and what felt like every single day, you know, some stat being thrown around there, it being talked about, you know, on TV or whatever. So it was just crazy, something I never thought would happen and something — I don’t really have much words. It’s been a crazy kind of ride this year.”
The division champion Mariners, making just their second playoff appearance since 2001, hope that ride continues.
Manager Dan Wilson announced Friday that with All-Star Bryan Woo still recovering from a strained pectoral muscle, right-hander George Kirby (10-8, 4.21 ERA) will pitch the opener.
Kirby also started the Mariners’ lone home playoff game in 2022, pitching seven scoreless innings in a game Houston won 1-0 in 18 innings to wrap up a series sweep.
“Super honored,” Kirby said. “It’s a big game and something you always dream of, to start Game 1 or any game in the playoffs.”
The Tigers, who went the distance to defeat host Cleveland in the best-of-three AL wild-card series, will counter with rookie Troy Melton (3-2, 2.76), who made four regular-season starts. Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, who pitched 7 2/3 innings Tuesday in a 2-1 victory against Cleveland, will remain on regular rest and start Sunday in Game 2.
“I let Troy know on the plane (Thursday) night that he was going to start, and we’re excited to hand him the ball,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “Plus stuff, great demeanor, the ability to handle what’s probably going to be the most excitable outing for him in a couple months’ worth of major league outings.”
Melton pitched one-third of an inning of relief Wednesday in a 6-1 loss, giving up four runs on three hits.
“I had good stuff. Nothing I’m really too concerned with as far as that,” Melton said. “They put three good swings on three mistakes that I made, and that’s the name of the game.”
While the Mariners went on a 17-1 run late in the regular season to clinch the division title, the Tigers blew a record 15 1/2-game lead to finish second in the AL Central.
Dillon Dingler’s homer in the sixth inning broke a 1-all tie Thursday and they went on to score four more runs in the seventh to beat the Guardians 6-3 in the decisive Game 3.
“We were on quite a journey to start the season. We race out. We have this big lead. We get a lot of love and a lot of attention and a lot of power rankings and all the stuff that doesn’t mean anything at the point of the season until you get to the finish line,” Hinch said. “So we’ve had to deal with a lot. Maybe that hardened us. Maybe that toughened us up. … We’ve always had a ton of confidence, and we’re coming off a big series win that we hope to carry that momentum into playing the Mariners.”
–Field Level Media
