Back in March, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh signed a six-year, $105 million contract extension to stay with the M’s.

At his press conference, Raleigh spoke about his love for the city and his love for the organization, and he showed that love all season long, hitting 60 home runs and leading the Mariners to Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.

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Raleigh has certainly held up his end of the bargain as a player and a leader, but the organization has held up their end as well. Before signing, Raleigh made sure to find out if the organization was as committed to winning as he is, and trade deadline deals for Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor certainly proved it was.

And after signing Naylor again to a five-year deal worth $92.5 million this week, the front office and ownership continue to show they have goals of getting to the World Series in 2026.

We caught up with ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney on Thursday’s edition of the ‘Refuse to Lose’ podcast to talk about the Naylor signing, and he brought up Raleigh as well:

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And ​look, ​during ​Cal ​Raleigh’s ​negotiations ​with ​the ​team, ​you ​know Cal’s ​personality, ​he’s ​not ​someone ​who’s ​going to ​step ​on ​other ​people’s ​jobs ​and ​step ​on ​their ​heads, but ​one ​of ​the ​questions ​that ​he ​was ​asking ​them ​was, ​’okay, ​what’s ​the ​plan ​for ​the ​organization ​going ​forward?’​Because ​he ​wants ​to ​win, ​right? ​And ​after ​he ​heard ​what ​the ​Mariners ​had ​in ​mind, ​he ​signed ​that ​long-term ​contract. ​And ​that, ​to ​me, ​was ​such ​a ​huge ​step ​forward. ​Their ​work ​at ​the ​trade ​deadline ​was ​a ​huge ​step ​forward. ​Regardless ​of ​whether ​or ​not they ​went ​on ​to ​play ​in ​the ​World ​Series or ​to ​win ​the ​World ​Series, ​the ​fact ​is ​they ​took ​their ​shot. ​

They ​were ​one ​of ​the ​last ​four ​teams ​standing, ​and ​now ​they’re ​following ​it ​up ​with ​a ​significant ​acquisition. ​Especially ​in ​this ​market ​where ​first ​basemen ​don’t ​necessarily ​get ​paid ​in ​a ​big ​way, ​you ​know, ​to ​dole ​out ​92.5 million dollars ​to ​Josh ​Naylor, ​that’s ​a ​big ​investment. ​So ​if ​you ​are ​Cal ​Raleigh ​and a ​year ​ago, ​you’re ​asking ​those ​questions, ‘what’s ​the ​direction ​of ​the ​franchise?’ ​Everything ​that ​Jerry (Dipoto), Justin (Hollander), ​the ​ownership ​has ​done ​​signals ​they’re ​trying ​to ​win, ​and ​that’s ​all ​you ​can ​ask ​for.

You can listen to the full episode in the player below:

ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney on Naylor Signing + Skubal Trade Possibility + Felix HOF

ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney on Naylor Signing + Skubal Trade Possibility + Felix HOF

ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney on Naylor Signing + Skubal Trade Possibility + Felix HOF Refuse to Lose – a Seattle Mariners Podcast · Episode

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I spoke about Raleigh’s ‘sphere of influence’ within the organization on a recent episode as well:

But I believe, and we’ve heard, that Cal Raleigh, before he signed his extension, I think he basically said to everyone “I will do my part, Will you do yours? Will you promise me that we will go for this and make a real concerted run at trying to win a World Series?” It it’s pretty well documented that Cal was what was forthright in his desire to win, and he wanted to know that the organization felt the same as he did. I think the organization kind of paying off that to him…

Again, he doesn’t run the organization, but Cal’s sphere of influence in the organization, I believe it to be big and I believe it to be real. So if he says “Hey part of me signing here again, part of me extending here is you proving to us this, or you proving to me that, or you backing up this,” I I think that happened.”

Josh Naylor is a Mariner And That's All You Need to Know

Josh Naylor is a Mariner And That’s All You Need to Know

Josh Naylor is a Mariner And That’s All You Need to Know Refuse to Lose – a Seattle Mariners Podcast · Episode

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LATEST PODCAST IS OUT: Brady Farkas is back for the the latest episode of the Refuse to Lose podcast! He covers more on Josh Naylor’s press conference, the latest on Colt Emerson’s Opening Day chances and more. LISTEN HERE: 

COLT TIME in 2026? According to a new report from Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, Colt Emerson could win the starting third base job in 2026. Here’s the positive – and negative – of that. CLICK HERE: 

HOW ABOUT COLE? If Colt Emerson could also win the starting 2B job, what does that mean for Cole Young? CLICK HERE: 

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