Cal Raleigh hit the most home runs for a catcher in MLB history in 2025. So far this season, he's been a shell of himself, and the numbers back me up. But to really understand Raleigh's struggles, we first must take a look back at his World Baseball Classic distraction.
Raleigh and Seattle Mariners teammate Randy Arozarena were involved in an altercation during Team USA's game against Mexico. Raleigh refused to acknowledge Arozarena as he stepped up to the plate, which led to some heated postgame commentary from Randy.
It's been nearly two months since then. Arozarena has, for his part, started the season quite well. Raleigh's power numbers and hard-hit rate are well down compared to 2025. Something is off, and a couple tweaks to his batting stance don't appear to be making a difference.
What's the matter with Mariners star Cal Raleigh?
Again, Raleigh hit 60 home runs last season. He even rivaled Aaron Judge for the American League MVP award, with many writers in the BBWAA arguing his season was, in fact, more impressive because of his position. Unseating Judge is no easy task, even if Raleigh came up just short. As a result, Raleigh was a shoe-in to play for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Since the WBC, however, Raleigh hasn't been the same player. Per MLB.com, his expected batting average is well below .200, and he isn't squaring up the baseball on his bat (lowest in MLB). Only two other players have a drop in hard-hit rate as pronounced as Raleigh's at 18.9 percent. Raleigh was scratched from the lineup on Saturday with general soreness just after hitting five home runs in a seven-day stretch.
If Raleigh gets hot, he can quickly course correct his early-season slump. If not, it's about time we started asking some tough questions.
What the World Baseball Classic has to do with Cal Raleigh's slump
As mentioned, the altercation with Arozarena was a distraction the Mariners — and Raleigh for that matter — needed. Here's what Arozarena had to say about Raleigh in the WBC, for those who need a reminder:
“The only thing he should be thankful for is having such great parents,”Arozarena told Mexican journalist Luis Gilbert in Spanish. “He’s very well educated, thank God. I was lucky enough to see them a few days ago at the hotel. They came over to greet me, gave me a big hug, and were genuinely proud to see me again.”
Arozarena then went on to tell Raleigh personally to 'f*** off' and 'go to hell'.
Ouch! The two reportedly reconciled back in spring training, but the point stands: A comment like that doesn't come out of nowhere. Surely, Arozarena's angst had been bubbling under the surface.
Arozarena made those comments in mid-March. The MLB season started just a few weeks later, and Raleigh was downright dreadful. Manager Dan Wilson credited the slow start from Raleigh (and many of his teammates) to the caliber of pitching they were facing. There's some truth to that, but it's not the only explanation.
Add in the intense action of the WBC — a far different atmosphere than spring training — and Raleigh's internal clock was all off. We have little doubt the Mariners catcher will eventually return to form. His relationship with Arozarena, unfortunately, may not.