Cal Raleigh was one of the biggest stars in Major League Baseball in 2025. The Seattle Mariners catcher launched 60 home runs, finished second to Aaron Judge in the American League MVP voting, and earned his first Silver Slugger Award.
Nobody expected Raleigh to repeat a 60-homer season in 2026, but the dramatic drop in production has been difficult to ignore.
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Raleigh has fallen off a cliffApr 16, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) hits a single during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn ImagesThrough 316 at-bats this season, Raleigh is batting just .161 with 12 home runs, 43 RBIs, 26 runs scored and a .570 OPS.
That’s a stunning decline from what he accomplished a year ago. In 2025, Raleigh appeared in 159 games and collected 147 hits, 60 home runs, 125 RBIs and 110 runs scored. He also posted a .359 OBP and .589 SLG, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous power hitters in baseball.
Instead, Raleigh has struggled to provide anything close to that production this season.
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WILD statistic says it allThere are plenty of numbers that demonstrate how difficult 2026 has been for Raleigh, but one particular stat might be the most shocking.
Barstool Baseball pointed out the incredible comparison on X:
Cal Raleigh in 2025: 60 HRs vs. Cal Raleigh in 2026: 51 Hits
That’s an unbelievable contrast. Last season, Raleigh hit more home runs than he has total hits this season.
Again, nobody expected him to launch another 60 homers, but this level of offensive regression is difficult to explain. The Mariners need Raleigh to be a major part of their lineup, especially considering the offensive expectations that came with his breakout 2025 campaign.
Instead, the player who finished second in MVP voting has become one of the biggest disappointments of the 2026 season.
For Raleigh and Seattle, the hope is that something eventually clicks. Because if the Mariners want to make a serious postseason run, getting their star catcher back on track could be absolutely critical.
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