The Seattle Mariners have fought through heartbreak, and now they triumph by turning pain into purpose. Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh admitted the sting of missing the playoffs in recent years has never gone away. Moreover, Raleigh said the weight of those failures shaped him and his teammates. That journey, filled with long seasons and disappointment, now sets the stage for a World Series run. In the heart of the AL West battle, the Mariners are ready to turn scars into strength.
“These last two years have felt really long,” Raleigh said. “Not going back, it’s been hurtful. A lot of pain.” His words cut deep, showing how much the failures have stuck with him. However, the catcher has chosen to use that pain as motivation. When the Mariners clinched their playoff spot, Raleigh’s emotions spilled into a promise. At that moment, he put his arm around Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners president of baseball operations, and reminded everyone of the goal. “Let’s go win the World Series,” Raleigh recalled saying.
In addition, Julio Rodriguez echoed that mindset, saying the hardships made the Mariners stronger. “Those years served its purpose, to get us stronger. To get us in a better position. To grow.” The words showed a team bonded not just by wins, but also by the grind of disappointment. Now, with the postseason set, the Mariners carry a new edge. Furthermore, the AL West crown is still within reach, and every inning matters.
Meanwhile, Cal Raleigh is at the center of it all. His leadership has turned into both voice and vision. The Mariners do not want to settle for just reaching October. Instead, they want to redefine the standard in Seattle. Years of setbacks have created urgency, and the catcher embodies that fight.
Ultimately, for a franchise hungry for its first World Series championship, the mission is clear. The Mariners believe their scars have prepared them for this stage. So now the question becomes: Can Cal Raleigh and his teammates turn that long stretch of pain into the greatest run in Mariners history?
