Seattle Mariners catcher made his return to the lineup on Tuesday night after missing three consecutive games due to soreness in his right side, but his comeback did not provide the offensive spark Seattle hoped for in a narrow 3-2 defeat to the Atlanta Braves.
Raleigh rejoined the starting lineup in his usual No. 2 batting position, though rather than resuming his duties behind the plate, he was used as the designated hitter as the Mariners took a cautious approach with his recovery. The veteran slugger struggled in his first game back, going hitless in four at-bats and striking out three times. The outing caused his batting average to dip to .180 on the season.
Manager Dan Wilson emphasized before the game that the organization intended to be extremely careful with Raleigh’s recovery process, particularly because side injuries can easily worsen if a player returns too quickly.
Raleigh first began feeling discomfort in his right side after Seattle’s game against the Kansas City Royals on Friday night. Although he initially tried to push through the issue, the discomfort lingered enough that he was scratched from Saturday’s lineup shortly before first pitch.
The catcher later explained that there was no clear moment when the injury occurred, saying the soreness developed without a specific incident. He noted that the decision to sit out was made largely as a precaution based on advice from the Mariners’ medical staff. To ensure there was no serious structural damage, Raleigh underwent an MRI on Saturday.
Fortunately for Seattle, the imaging results did not reveal any major issue, allowing the team to avoid placing one of its most important players on the injured list. Raleigh has now spent six seasons with the Mariners and has remarkably never been placed on the injured list during his major league career.
Before his return Tuesday, Raleigh tested the injury during pregame workouts on Monday while the Mariners prepared for their series against Atlanta. Following Seattle’s 5-4 win over the Braves the previous night, Wilson said the coaching and medical staffs would evaluate Raleigh’s readiness before making a final call on his availability.
Even with Raleigh back in the lineup, Seattle is still being deliberate about easing him back into full action. Wilson indicated the team plans to monitor the catcher’s condition closely before determining when he will return to his normal defensive role behind the plate. Veteran catcher Mitch Garver handled catching duties for the second straight game Tuesday as Raleigh remained limited to designated hitter.
The Mariners will continue assessing Raleigh’s comfort level on a daily—and even at-bat-by-at-bat—basis as they work him back into his full workload.
Raleigh remains one of Seattle’s most valuable players despite his slow offensive start this season. The 28-year-old finished as the American League MVP runner-up last year after delivering a monster campaign in which he blasted 60 home runs and drove in 125 runs. While his current batting average sits below expectations, signs of improvement have emerged recently. Raleigh has begun to find his rhythm at the plate, hitting five of his seven home runs over his last 16 games.
Seattle will hope his return to the lineup marks the start of both improved health and sustained offensive momentum as the season progresses.
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