Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh will miss time after being placed on the 10-day injured list due to a right oblique strain, an injury that he himself suspected would keep him sidelined after he left a recent game early.
Raleigh exited Seattle’s narrow 4–3 defeat to the Houston Astros in the eighth inning after feeling increased discomfort on his right side. At the time, he already had a feeling the injury might require a stint on the injured list, a concern that was confirmed when the Mariners officially made the roster move on Thursday. This marks the first time in his six-year Major League career that the standout catcher, who finished as the American League MVP runner-up last season, has landed on the injured list.
Speaking before Seattle’s series against the San Diego Padres on Friday, Raleigh admitted that he initially believed he could continue playing through the pain. However, he eventually accepted that stepping away was the best decision for both himself and the team. He explained that pride sometimes makes players want to push through injuries, but in this case, resting and recovering properly was the smarter option for long-term performance.
Raleigh revealed that the discomfort had been lingering for several weeks. He previously missed three games in early May due to soreness on his right side, but even before that, he had been dealing with ongoing pain. His struggles at the plate during this stretch reflected the injury’s impact. Between April 28 and May 1, and including a brief slump afterward, he went hitless in 38 consecutive at-bats, the longest drought in Major League Baseball this season. He eventually broke out of that slump on May 12, recording two singles in Seattle’s 10–2 win over Houston.
For the season, Raleigh has struggled offensively by his standards. Through 41 games, he is batting .161 with seven home runs, 18 runs batted in, four doubles, 18 walks, and 16 runs scored. His batting average currently ranks as the lowest among all qualified hitters in the league, highlighting how much the injury may have affected his production.
Despite dealing with previous injuries in his career—including a broken bone and a torn ligament in his left thumb during the 2022 season—Raleigh noted that this oblique issue has been particularly frustrating. He explained that oblique injuries are especially difficult for baseball players because the constant twisting, swinging, and rotational movement involved in the sport makes it nearly impossible to fully rest the area during play.
To help manage his recovery, the Mariners’ medical staff plans to administer an injection within the next 24 hours to reduce inflammation and pain. Raleigh will remain in the Seattle area briefly before likely traveling to the team’s spring training facility in Arizona to continue his rehabilitation program. General manager Justin Hollander said recent MRI results showed either stability or slight improvement compared to earlier scans, which is a positive sign. He emphasized that while the team does not expect a long-term absence, Raleigh will be evaluated week by week to ensure he returns fully healthy and confident.
Meanwhile, the Mariners plan to continue using a six-man rotation to manage their pitching staff workload. However, manager Dan Wilson noted that not every pitcher will strictly follow a six-day cycle. Right-handers Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller are expected to share responsibilities on the same game days, though their exact roles are still being determined.
Other starters, including George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, and Emerson Hancock, will continue on a more traditional schedule, making the same number of starts as they would in a standard rotation setup. Miller, who also dealt with an oblique injury earlier in the season, recently returned from the injured list and delivered a solid outing in his first start back. Castillo, on the other hand, has struggled this year with a 1–4 record and a 6.34 ERA across nine starts.
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