Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh named AL starter for MLB All-Star Game

SEATTLE – The meeting was set for just after 4 p.m. Wednesday inside T-Mobile Park’s home clubhouse, and teammates, coaches, support staffers and top executives all gathered for a recognition of everyone’s favorite Mariner.

They were there to celebrate Big Dumper’s big day.

And Cal Raleigh, after learning he’d been officially named the American League’s starting catcher for the MLB All-Star Game, began his brief speech with, of all things, an apology.

“Sorry for all this nonsense the last couple days,” he told the room.

He was referring to the media blitz surrounding him in recent weeks.

Raleigh’s historic home-run binge has, appropriately, attracted widespread attention; he’s had about 50 interview requests from national outlets over the past month, and you can hardly flip on ESPN lately without someone asking him about the origins of his nickname (thank you, Jarred Kelenic).

Raleigh is, of course, the last person in Seattle who should be apologizing for anything these days. That would be like Superman saying sorry for forgetting to take out the trash after saving a family from a burning home.

“That’s just Cal. That’s who he is,” manager Dan Wilson said. ” … A big part of what he’s been able to do this first half is, he’s done it with a lot of humility. He’s a class act from beginning to end.”

The media attention ratcheted up a notch this week when public All-Star voting restarted on Monday, pitting Raleigh against Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk to be the AL starting catcher.

The Mariners’ marketing team doubled down on its campaign, and it worked: Raleigh received 72% of the vote to win the starting job in a landslide.

Raleigh, in an interview after the announcement, thanked everyone involved in pushing to get him voted in, but then added: “I’m just glad it’s over, too. Seeing your face everywhere was a little uncomfortable.”

In the clubhouse earlier, he told everyone gathered around him to return their focus to where it should be: back on the field.

“We definitely have bigger things ahead,” he said. “I’m looking forward to October with these guys.”

It’s the first All-Star appearance for the 28-year-old Raleigh, who leads the majors in home runs (33) and runs batted in (71) this season.

Raleigh became just the fifth player in MLB history to hit 33 home runs before the end of June, joining the Mariners’ Ken Griffey Jr. (1998), the Cubs’ Sammy Sosa (1998), the Cardinals’ Mark McGwire (1998) and the Giants’ Barry Bonds (2001).

Raleigh is the first Mariners player named an AL All-Star starter since designated hitter Nelson Cruz in 2015 and the first catcher in club history named a starter in an All-Star game.

Wilson, in 1996, is the only other Seattle catcher named to an All-Star team. He was named to the team as a reserve.

Last week, Raleigh accepted an invitation to participate in his first MLB Home Run Derby, scheduled for July 14 at Atlanta’s Truist Park. Raleigh’s dad, Todd, will pitch to him and his 15-year-old brother, Todd Jr., will be the catcher.