Cal Raleigh Shines as Mariners Face Red-Hot Pirates on Independence Day
What a showdown brewing this Fourth of July as the Seattle Mariners kick off a key home series against the surging Pittsburgh Pirates at T-Mobile Park. While fireworks will light up the night sky, it's the Mariners' own stars — especially catcher Cal Raleigh — who are set to ignite the field.
Let’s start with “Big Dumper” himself. Cal Raleigh isn’t just having a good season — he’s rewriting the script for what a catcher can do. He’s been named the American League’s starting catcher for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game, making history as the first Mariners catcher ever to receive that honor. The fan vote wasn’t even close — Raleigh secured 72% of the vote over Blue Jays’ Alejandro Kirk. And if that wasn’t enough, he was just named AL Player of the Month for June after a blistering stretch that saw him hit .300 with 11 home runs and 27 RBIs. He leads all of Major League Baseball with 33 homers, and now he's headed to the Home Run Derby, where his father will pitch to him. How’s that for a Father-Son moment?
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Today’s game against Pittsburgh marks the final home series before the All-Star break, and it’s a crucial one. The Mariners are sitting at 22–21 at home, 23–21 on the road, and they’re tough to beat when they have the lead late — they’re an astonishing 36–1 when leading after the 8th inning. But they’ll need to bring their best against a Pirates team riding a six-game win streak, fresh off sweeps of both the Mets and Cardinals. Lefty Bailey Falter takes the mound for Pittsburgh, and while his last outing was cut short by rain, he’s been steady for them all season.
On the offensive side, Seattle’s lineup is humming. Mitch Garver has found his groove, hitting .308 over his last 10 games. Randy Arozarena is catching fire again, with four homers in the recent series against Kansas City. And J.P. Crawford? Quietly raking, with a .333 average over his last 31 games.
Meanwhile, the Pirates are bringing their own firepower. Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen are anchoring their offense, while Joey Bart steps in behind the plate today, giving Henry Davis a rest. Oneil Cruz stays in center, batting fifth, and Spencer Horwitz leads off again after hitting his first career leadoff home run last week.
And don’t forget Andrés Muñoz, one of the most dominant closers in the game. He’s got 19 saves, a 1.13 ERA, and opponents are hitting just .140 against him. If this game is tight late, Mariners fans should feel confident.
First pitch is set for 4:10 PM PT, and you can catch it live on ROOT SPORTS or Seattle Sports 710 AM. Whether you’re at the ballpark or watching from the BBQ, this one’s worth tuning in for. It’s America’s birthday — and it might just be Cal Raleigh’s summer.
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