What happened to Cal Raleigh? Mariners catcher off to awful start on heels of historic 2025

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What happened to Cal Raleigh? Mariners catcher off to awful start on heels of historic 2025 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Cal Raleigh is in the midst of an 0-for-25 skid with the Seattle Mariners. The All-Star catcher has not gotten a hit since April 27 and did not play in three of the Mariners' last six games.

This comes as a shock to many after Raleigh looked like one of the game's best hitters in 2025, slugging a staggering 60 home runs as a switch-hitting catcher. A bit of regression isn't abnormal after the breakout season Raleigh had, but these struggles were not expected.

In 2026, Raleigh has the third-lowest batting average among all qualified hitters. The Mariners also don't have much wiggle room after trading Raleigh's successor, Harry Ford, to the Washington Nationals last offseason.

Here's what to know about Raleigh's regression and what happened to the Mariners' slugger.

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What happened to Cal Raleigh?​

After making an MVP push, Raleigh's numbers have plummeted in 2026.

The key difference in his game in 2026 is his inability to make hard contact. A year ago, Raleigh would consistently square up the ball and tap into serious power. This season, he's been rolling over and popping up at a higher rate.

Raleigh joined Team USA as part of the World Baseball Classic during spring training. He initially looked like the clear favorite to start at catcher, but was benched for Will Smith after failing to get a hit in nine at-bats across three games. He did draw five walks, but couldn't find any other way on base.

It seems these struggles have carried into the regular season, with Raleigh unable to return to his 2025 form.

After a career of hitting slightly above average with excellent defense, Raleigh's 2025 season was a pleasant surprise. His OPS jumped .200 points and his home run total nearly doubled from 2024 to 2025.

MORE: Where Cal Raleigh's 2025 ranked among best-ever seasons by a catcher

Cal Raleigh 2026 stats​

For those who followed Raleigh's record-breaking 2025 season, his performance in 2026 has been baffling. Raleigh has been an above average hitter since 2022, but is now a liability at the plate. The Mariners do play their home games at one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in the sport, but this has never stopped Raleigh in the past.

Games	BA	HR	RBI	OPS
36	.169	7	18	.595

Cal Raleigh 2025 stats​

Raleigh's 2025 season was historic. He was just the third American League player to hit 60 home runs in a season after Roger Maris and Aaron Judge. He was also the first switch-hitter and the first catcher to accomplish this feat.

Games	BA	HR	RBI	OPS
159	.247	60	125	.948

Cal Raleigh career stats​

For the majority of his career, Raleigh was a defense-first catcher with some power at the plate. He won the Platinum Glove Award in 2024 for these numbers. Last year, his defense faltered but his skills at the plate soared.

Enter 2026 and Raleigh's offensive numbers are down across the board. He hasn't struggled this much at the plate since his first MLB season in 2021.

Year	Games	BA	HR	RBI	OPS
2021	47	.180	2	13	.532
2022	119	.211	27	63	.774
2023	145	.232	30	75	.762
2024	153	.220	34	100	.748
2025	159	.247	60	125	.948
2026	36	.169	7	18	.595

How old is Cal Raleigh?​

Cal Raleigh is 29 years old as he begins his sixth season in professional baseball. He signed a six-year contract extension in March 2025, which will make him a free agent in 2031.

This season has not been an easy one for Raleigh, but there is plenty of time for him to correct these numbers in Seattle.

MORE: Who gave Cal Raleigh his "Big Dumper" nickname?

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