Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has not delivered the kind of season the team anticipated. The 29-year-old shattered several records last year, blasting 60 home runs and leading Seattle to its deepest playoff run in franchise history, falling just one victory shy of the World Series.
Naturally, expectations have been high for Raleigh in 2026. He has not come close to meeting them. In fact, Raleigh has been one of the least productive hitters in baseball.
He has posted a .161 batting average, .243 on-base percentage, .560 OPS, seven home runs and 18 RBIs across 41 games. Raleigh also endured an 0-for-38 hitless streak during May, one he only snapped on Tuesday.
During Wednesday’s game against the Astros, Raleigh’s struggles continued. He went 0-for-4 at the plate, and then in the bottom of the eighth inning attempted to complete a double play. As he prepared to throw to first, he held up and immediately grimaced in pain.
Raleigh grabbed at his right side in clear discomfort. He stayed in the game briefly but was removed in the bottom of the ninth, with Mitch Garver taking over behind the plate.
After the game, Mariners manager Dan Wilson confirmed Raleigh’s departure was due to right side discomfort, adding that the move was precautionary. When asked about a potential injured list stint, Wilson said, “We will see how it is tomorrow and go from there,” according to Daniel Kramer of MLB.com.
This is especially troubling for both the Mariners and Raleigh. He dealt with right side tightness earlier in May and missed multiple games, though Seattle chose not to place him on the injured list at that time. Unfortunately, that may not be the case now.
The Mariners have been underwhelming this year, and after Wednesday’s loss they sit two games under .500 at 21-23. Losing Raleigh for any stretch would only add to the challenges facing a team still trying to find its footing. A healthy and productive Raleigh remains essential if Seattle hopes to climb back into contention.
