We’re less than a year removed from Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh leading the MLB in home runs and coming extremely close to beating New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge for the American League MVP trophy.
But his 2026 season has not been pretty and the last few weeks have been nothing short of terrible for Raleigh at the plate.
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He went 0-for-4 during Monday’s win over the Houston Astros, extending his hitless streak to 36 at-bats. Through 39 games, he’s batting .157/.238/.320 and hasn’t recorded a hit since April 27.
In fairness, nothing about his swing has stood out as a major issue contributing to the hitting slump. His swing speed and location are on par with 2025, but his strikeout rate has increased while his exit velocity has decreased.
He’s had serious issues with fastballs this season, batting just .093 against them so far.
With these things considered, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what is causing this cold streak, but the Mariners need him to start making contact if they want a turnaround.
Seattle is currently 20-22 on the season, despite being viewed as a top contender in the AL on opening day. While all signs point to Raleigh making a bit of a recovery, it will need to happen soon for the Mariners to truly have a successful season.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
