Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh faces mounting criticism for his career-worst performance through the first half of 2026.
- Raleigh offered vague admissions about potential causes (like the WBC) while denying others.
- His inconsistent play and off-field friction now threaten both his role and the team's outlook for the rest of the season.
For whatever reason, the thought of even taking some degree of personal responsibility does not exist in Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh’s mind. Raleigh enters play on July 25 carrying a .163 average and a .566 OPS in over 300 plate appearances. His strikeout rate has skyrocketed to 31.7%, and he’s been worth -0.3 bWAR for an inconsistent Mariners team. Consider that this is the same Raleigh who hit 60 home runs and finished second in AL MVP voting last year.
His career-worst numbers are not a byproduct of a summer slump, either. He’s been awful dating back to the World Baseball Classic, when he publicly feuded with Mariners teammate Randy Arozarena over a handshake, of all things.
What Cal Raleigh blames for his lost Mariners season
Speaking with USA Today, Raleigh initially dismissed the thought of the WBC causing him such prolonged issues … at least, at first.
“At the end of the day, was it harder to get at-bats? Yes,” Raleigh admitted. “Did it maybe throw my timing off a little? Maybe. But I’m not here to speculate and make excuses.’’
So, which is it, Cal?
Outside of instances involving performance-enhancing drugs and injuries, we rarely see this kind of significant one-year regression. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if Raleigh hit .225 with 30 home runs and 85 RBIs, which is right in line with what he averaged from 2022-24.
Season | OPS |
|---|---|
2022 | .774 |
2023 | .762 |
2024 | .748 |
2025 | .948 |
2026 | .566 |
Back in April, I proposed the idea that Raleigh couldn’t handle the pressure and increased expectations that naturally followed last year’s historic numbers. And in fairness to Raleigh, he didn’t choose to have the newfound attention. That’s the byproduct of being the MVP runner-up on a team that came one game shy of reaching its first World Series.
Cal Raleigh continues to make excuses rather than take accountability
Rather than outright say that the World Baseball Classic had nothing to do with his struggles, he told Bob Nightengale that such a perspective is “for everybody else to decide.” At least to me, that sounds like he wants to blame the WBC but fears the potential stigma and consequences associated with such a confession.
I can only speak for myself, but I’d have no problem with Raleigh saying he fully believes that the World Baseball Classic threw him off, and the lesson is that he wouldn’t participate again. That’s not an excuse, but it’s instead showing maturity and leadership, especially given the Arozarena incident.
Unfortunately for the Mariners, Raleigh is under team control through 2030, and there’s also a $20 million vesting option for 2031. He turns 30 in November, and the possibility that these problems are deeper than him pressing at the plate should have Seattle extremely concerned about what lies ahead.
But at least Team USA shouldn’t need to worry about “snubbing” Raleigh come the 2030 WBC. Then again, who knows if Raleigh will even be a starting catcher by that point?
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