Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is back in the lineup after a three-game absence.
Raleigh had been sidelined with side soreness. He is making his return Tuesday night, batting second against the Atlanta Braves.
Raleigh’s Injury Concerns
Raleigh had missed three games due to tightness on his right side. There was speculation that Raleigh may be heading to the injured list.
Raleigh had been sidelined since Friday, listed on the team’s injury report with side soreness, and there were reports Monday that the catcher would undergo an MRI to determine if he would need a stint on the injured list to fully recover. While Raleigh had the MRI, the results have not been released.
It remains to be seen if Raleigh is fully healthy. Seattle could be having him DH to get him some game reps to see how he has progressed in recovering, but for now, it looks like he has avoided an immediate stint on the IL.
Player and Manager Comments on Raleigh’s Condition
The catcher was asked about the injury Monday. He downplayed it and said, “Everything is good, just taking it day by day.”
Manager Dan Wilson was asked about Raleigh’s health Monday, and he said his catcher was in a good spot and that a decision on his heading to the IL would be “forthcoming here in the next day or so.”
Raleigh’s Performance
Raleigh made MLB history in the 2025 season, hitting 60 home runs, the most for a catcher in a single season. He hasn’t sustained that success into the early part of the 2026 campaign.
Raleigh, however, has seven home runs in 33 games, but is batting just .186 with a .652 OPS.
For now, Raleigh looks to have avoided an immediate stint on the IL.