TORONTO — The ballots were cast before the playoffs started. Nothing Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh does in the postseason will influence the American League MVP voting. The same was true of Aaron Judge before the New York Yankees were eliminated.
But man, if ever there was a game to show why Raleigh would be a deserving winner, it was Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Sunday night, in which the Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-1.
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The victory was especially momentous for the Mariners, considering the circumstances. The 15-inning marathon they survived to win the deciding game of their Division Series against the Detroit Tigers on Friday night. The cross-continent flight they took from Seattle to Toronto on Saturday. The pitcher they chose, right-hander Bryce Miller, to make his first career start on three days rest Sunday, kicking off the team’s first ALCS appearance in 24 years.
Raleigh, who caught 209 pitches in Game 5 of the DS, was at the center of it all, playing any number of familiar roles — slugger, receiver, pitcher whisperer, Kevin Gausman dominator, Rogers Cent
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