Mariners’ Cal Raleigh has fighting words for John Schnieder after game-winning blast
By Jake Kleiner
Wednesday afternoon in Toronto — as Cal Raleigh stepped up to bat at the beginning of the 10th inning in a game tied up, the atmosphere among Toronto Blue Jays fans was undoubtedly tense.
Over his four years in MLB, the Seattle Mariners' catcher has become a known nemesis for the Jays, a reputation he further solidified in Toronto that Wednesday afternoon. Facing left-hander Tim Mayza, Raleigh, a switch-hitter batting right-handed, launched a first-pitch sinker right into the Mariners' bullpen in right field, igniting a pivotal five-run 10th inning for his team.
This event marked Raleigh's ninth home run during the regular season against the Blue Jays and his tenth overall, counting a two-run homer in the first inning of Game 1 in the 2022 AL wild-card series. Coming into the game, Raleigh boasted a career 1.043 OPS against Toronto, with the Blue Jays being his most frequent home run victims in the majors. Following a game in April last season where Raleigh hit two home runs against them, Blue Jays' manager John Schneider remarked on Raleigh's performance, suggesting effectiveness comes down to execution. Per City News Toronto, he said, "He's not very tough to pitch to when you execute."
How exactly did Cal Raleigh Respond?
Raleigh, responding to Schneider's past comments post-game, highlighted the tension, clapped back and said:
"I know a lot of guys have beef with him in this league, so his comments aren't surprising. I don't have much to say. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all, if you don't want it to come back on you."
Asked if he heard the comments by John Schneider last year, Raleigh said: "I know a lot of guys have beef with him in the league. So his comments aren't surprising. I don't have much to say. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all, if you don't want it to come…
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) April 10, 2024
Since his MLB debut on July 11, 2021, Raleigh trails only Aaron Judge and Anthony Santander in home runs hit against the Blue Jays. His extra-inning homer also equaled a franchise record for the Blue Jays, matching the most home runs allowed through the first 13 games of a season, a record set by the 1978 team.
Despite a marginally better start than the 1978 Blue Jays, the 2024 team faces a clear challenge in curbing home runs, both from Raleigh and the broader MLB, to improve their standing.
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