Cal Raleigh's 60th homer seals Mariners' AL West title, first since 2001

Cal Raleigh hit his 60th home run of the season in the eighth inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Colorado Rockies 9-2 to clinch the American League West for the first time since 2001. Seattle moved to 89-69 with four games remaining, while Colorado dropped to 43-115.

Raleigh's 59th homer came in the first inning on a 93-mph fastball from Tanner Gordon, a 438-foot shot that landed in the third deck and gave Seattle a 1-0 lead. His 60th followed in the eighth, when he lined a 98-mph fastball from Angel Chivilli 389 feet into the right-field seats to make it 9-1.

Raleigh's early homer drew a reaction from teammate Julio Rodríguez: 'It was like a movie.' Rodríguez added that Raleigh has made an impact all year and that his performance behind the plate and with the bat has been special.

Raleigh said, 'It’s crazy. Sixty is — I don’t know what to say,' after the game, reflecting on one of the standout offensive seasons in the majors.

Raleigh's 60 home runs place him among an exclusive group of players who have reached the mark in a season: Babe Ruth (1927), Roger Maris (1961), Mark McGwire (1998 and 1999), Sammy Sosa (1998, 1999, 2001), Barry Bonds (2001) and Aaron Judge (2022).

It was Raleigh's 11th multi-homer game this year, tying him with Judge (2022), Hank Greenberg (1938) and Sammy Sosa (1998) for the MLB single-season record.

With four games left in the regular season, Raleigh could surpass Judge for the American League single-season mark of 62.

Mariners manager Dan Wilson said there is 'no question' who should win the AL MVP award, highlighting Raleigh's impact on Seattle's climb to its first division title in 24 years. 'When you look at how he has done it and the position that he plays — I was telling somebody earlier today that when you come off the field, you’re mentally and physically exhausted,' Wilson said. 'And for him to do what he’s done offensively and to do what he does behind the plate, I honestly don’t think we’ve seen this before. It’s been incredible. I think he deserves the MVP, no question.'

After clinching the AL West, the Mariners (89-69) will look to sweep the Rockies (43-115) in the final game of the three-game series on Thursday at 9:40 p.m. ET, continuing a season that has captured the city’s attention.

The Mariners’ 2025 season marks a historic run to the division crown, culminating in a celebration that underscored Seattle’s return to top-tier contention in the American League.