"Dan Wilson knows Cal Raleigh" - MLB insider believes Mariners skipper knows what's best for AL MVP contender despite calls for load management

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is in the midst of an extraordinary season, currently batting .243, with a major league-leading 50 home runs and 107 RBIs. Naturally, this makes him one of the frontrunners for the AL MVP award.

After starting the year swinging a red-hot bat, Raleigh has cooled off a bit post the All-Star break. As he continues balancing hitting with his catching duties, it appears the 28-year-old may be feeling the effects of fatigue at this late stage in the regular season.

Several fans and experts have suggested the catcher should be rested more for the last month of the regular season. With the Mariners looking likely to clinch a playoff spot via a top-three spot in the wildcard, Raleigh's effectiveness will be extremely important for the Mariners' chances in the postseason.

Offering his two cents on the argument, insider Jeff Passan said this is something Mariners skipper Dan Wilson is more than qualified to assess as he sees fit, having been a catcher himself in his playing days. Passan explained his take on Tuesday's episode of "Brock & Salk".

"An interesting element is that your manager (Dan Wilson) is a catcher," Passan noted at 12:20. If anyone should now [it would be him]. That's the only reason why I'm not going to go out and be more critical of this."

"I think Dan Wilson knows Cal Raleigh better than we're ever going to. I don't think he would be putting him out there if he saw any sort of physical ailments," Passan added.

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MLB insider explains why Cal Raleigh gets his vote to win AL MVP

With both Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge enjoying monster seasons, the battle for the AL MVP award is proving to be an extremely thrilling one this season, with both players continuing to one-up each other.

According to insider Jon Morosi, however, the fact that Cal Raleigh also plays as a catcher, the toughest defensive position in baseball, gives him an edge. Morosi explained his take on the August 26 episode of "Wyman & Bob".

"He needs to keep doing what he's doing," Morosi said [7:28]. "I think if he then gets into the 50s for home runs and the Mariners make the playoffs, it's a pretty compelling case."

"If I had a ballot in front of me right now, I would vote for Cal Raleigh. He's the reason why they're in a playoff position. He catches all those innings. It's a hard staff to catch."

With the Mariners on course to make the playoffs for only the fourth time since the turn of the century, fans will be hoping Cal Raleigh can continue performing well in the playoffs.