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.

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, grit their teeth, and wait for Big Dumper to strike.

Despite Cal Raleigh’s monster season, he is not the favorite to win MVP. In fact, he’s not even that close to Aaron Judge, who is the favorite to win the award. ESPN has Aaron Judge at -2000 odds to take home the award, with Raleigh second at a mere +650. They don’t think it’s close.