Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh launched his majors-leading 32nd home run of the season in a victory on Monday against the Minnesota Twins. Raleigh, who has already made history by slugging the most first-half home runs by a catcher,

For every big swing and eye-popping home run, Cal Raleigh is building his case for something bigger. Chants of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" are growing louder in the Emerald City for Seattle's 28-year-old catcher as opposing spectators look away,

Raleigh is on pace to join Johnny Bench in 1974 and Joe Torre in 1970 as the only players whose primary position was catcher in MLB history to reach 700 plate appearances in a season, becoming too essential on both sides of the ball for the Mariners to rest him. Not that he’d want to, anyway.