Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge going for history as AL playoff picture continues to form
USA TODAY Sports’ Gabe Lacques breaks down the storylines to watch in the AL as the MLB seasons winds down.
Sports Pulse
Former Ohio State outfielder Dominic Canzone delivered a signature game for the Seattle Mariners in the heat of a playoff race on Sept. 16, going 5-for-5 with three home runs, four RBIs and 14 total bases to push Seattle past the Kansas City Royals 12-5.
Canzone, who went to Walsh Jesuit high school, was a three-year starter on the Buckeyes. He made an All-Big Ten team all three years including a First Team All-Big Ten in 2019 when he hit .345 with a 1.064 OPS in 63 games. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, debuting in 2023 for the snakes.
Canzone was one of the pieces in the 2023 trade deadline deal that sent Mariners reliever Paul Sewald to the Diamonbacks to assist in their World Series playoff push. In the last two years, Canzone battled injuries with multiple rehab stints in Triple-A Tacoma.
With help from his big perfomance, the former Buckeye is 10-for-19 in his last seven games with a 1.577 OPS.
Canzone’s signature night coincided with Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh passed Mickey Mantle for the most home runs hit by a switch hitter in a single season.