RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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One could argue Cal Raleigh was the story of the 2025 MLB season. Sure, Aaron Judge walked away with the American League MVP, but Raleigh was the breakout superstar. He clubbed 60 home runs, made his first All-Star team and won the Home Run Derby.
A year later, though, Raleigh is literally one of the worst hitters in the game . With the Mariners quickly falling out of the playoff hunt after losing their fifth-straight game, Raleigh surprised reporters by inviting an impromptu Q&A after Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees.
When asked about the team’s current skid, Raleigh took the brunt of the responsibility, telling reporters, “ I’m awful, ” per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times.
“It’s not good,” he said. “We’re not playing well. That starts with me. I’m awful. I’ve got to find a way to be better and to help bring the guys along. We just gotta play better. We’re just playing very, very, very bad baseball in every facet of the game. We gotta pick it up — from the energy standpoint to the execution to the little things in the game that help you win baseball games. We’re just not doing those things right now.”
Raleigh then offered what appeared to be more insight into why he believes he’s struggling at the plate, though his quotes could also be interpreted as him trying to send a message to his teammates. But he was careful to still shoulder the blame, adding, “I’m not pointing fingers. I’m ultimately the worst of the group right now, and I understand that.”
“Sometimes baseball players can be stubborn, but we’ve just got to put our pride aside,” he said. “We have to focus a little more on the team aspect, or hitting the ball the other way, or trying to just take singles and not trying to go for the long ball every time. Ultimately, when you rely on the long ball, you’re gonna get a lot of off-balance swings and you’re gonna be a little out front. The pitchers here are really good and you’ve got to take what they give you. We’re just not doing that right now.”
It’s tough to overstate how much Raleigh has struggled coming off his near-MVP season. The 29-year-old is hitting just .159/.264/.299, with 12 home runs, through 86 games. He’s also running the worst strikeout rate of his career since his brief debut year. Similarly, he’s chasing pitches outside the zone with more frequency than any year except his first in the majors.
Raleigh isn’t the only reason the Mariners have struggled in 2026. Injuries to key players have resulted in the team experiencing some lengthy absences from otherwise strong performers. First baseman Josh Naylor has mostly been healthy, but hasn’t found his power stroke, and is slugging just .372 on the year.
Thanks to the team’s recent slide, the Mariners enter Wednesday sitting at 56-64. Due to the mediocrity of the American League, the team is just four games out of a wild-card spot.
Despite its record, the team still has a chance to rally and make a playoff run. But any hope of that happening revolves around Raleigh and Co. finally finding their stride at the plate.
Raleigh delivered his message on what needs to change Tuesday. It’s up to him and the rest of the Mariners to take it to heart and start producing.
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