Seattle Mariners Look To Ride Rejuvenated Cal Raleigh Into Playoffs

SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 24: Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) waves to fans in celebration of his three home runs during the MLB game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners on August 24, 2026 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

A rejuvenated, revised and much improved edition of catcher Cal Raleigh has arrived on the Seattle Mariners roster.

Raleigh, 29, has been missing in action in the Mariners offense for most of the 2026 season.

In fact, Raleigh’s struggles have been so bad, cbssportsline.com listed Raleigh as the No. 1 player in an article titled :”The most disappointing MLB players of 2026: Cal Raleigh, Paul Skenes, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and more.”

Now, as if on cue, as the final month of the Major League Baseball season quickly approaches, Raleigh’s bat has come to life.

The switch-hitting Raleigh hit five home runs in five games from August 21 to August 25. He hit three against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 9-2 Mariners win on August 24.

It is no coincidence the Mariners won four of those five games, and placed themselves in comfortable striking distance of the American League West division Houston Astros.

The Mariners sit fairly comfortably in third place in the American League West, but only between three and four games separate them from the second place Texas Rangers, and the division leading Astros.

Until Raleigh found his hitting stroke, the Mariners were led on offense by outfielder Randy Arozarena.

espn.comhas shown that the right-handed hitting Arozarena, 31, is tied with Julio Rodriguez for the team lead in homers, with 20. Arozarena and Dominic Canzone each lead the team with 58 RBIs, but Arozarena is the team leader in on-base percentage, at .369.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 24: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his team's win against the Philadelphia Phillies at T-Mobile Park on August 24, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Getty ImagesSeattle Mariners Cal Raleigh Has Scuffled:

Last season, Cal Raleigh was an All Star, his only such appearances.

Raleigh was the focal point of slugger conversations around Major League Baseball.

Raleigh hit 60 home runs, 38 against right-handed pitching, and 22 against lefties. He had a 125 RBIs. He even stole 14 bases, in 18 attempts. He struck out 127 times, in 412 plate appearances.

Raleigh won a 2025 Silver Slugger Award, and was runner-up for the American League Most Valuable Player Award to Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.

A complete player, Raleigh won a Gold Glove at catcher for the Mariners in 2025.

Cal Raleigh won the Home Run Derby in 2025

This season, Raleigh just didn’t get it going.

Raleigh’s struggles this season have been so bad, this is howsports.yahoo.comstated it: “His regression has been one of the major talking points of this season and his struggles have been put into perspective against the status of one-armed outfielder Pete Gray, who played back in 1945.” Ouch!

As play ended August 26, Raleigh had the following stats: .167 batting average, .284 on-base percentage, 18 home runs, 52 RBIs, and two stolen bases in 354 at-bats.

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh hits a two-run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.Seattle Mariners Cal Raleigh’s Background:

In 2018, Raleigh was a 3rd round draft pick of the Mariners, out of Florida State University.

He went to Smoky Mountain High School in Sylva, North Carolina, before attending Florida State.

Around the time he was drafted, scouts felt Raleigh, who was 6-3, 215 pounds at the time, would generate huge power from both sides of the plate.

Now, eight years after being drafted, Raleigh is 235 pounds of strength. He has proven scouts correct regarding his power. Baseball America said he is a “big switch-hitting catcher with big power.” Indeed.

As the No. 90 overall selection, Raleigh received a signing bonus of $854,000 from the Mariners. His bonus was $221,300 above the MLB slot value for the 90th pick that year.

On March 25, 2025, 247sports.com, which is a Florida State site indicated that their former player “received a massive extension from the Seattle Mariners, per ESPN’S Jeff Passan. …Passan reported that Raleigh signed a six-year, $105 million contract extension.

Nicknamed “The Big Dumper.” Raleigh’s bat has come to life.

SEATTLE, WA - APRIL 02: A gold Florida necklace sits over the Mariners logo on the jersey of Mallex Smith #0 in the third inning against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at T-Mobile Park on April 2, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2-1. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)

Getty ImagesConclusions About Seattle Mariners Cal Raleigh:

After a very slow start compared to his other-worldly All Star 2025 season, Cal Raleigh has suddenly started to hit home runs once again.

Cal Raleigh struggled mightily following the World Baseball Classic. He just couldn’t find his stroke.

Now, however, it appears the Mariners can count upon their “Big Dumper” once again.

Sitting within striking distance of the American League West Division lead, hopefully, the Seattle Mariners Cal Raleigh can once again be counted upon to lead the Mariners charge to the American League playoffs.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com