Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh finally brought an end to one of the toughest offensive stretches of his career Tuesday night, snapping an 0-for-38 slump during Seattle’s 10-2 win over the Houston Astros as the Mariners continue to navigate roster changes, including Ryan Loutos being released recently after a turbulent stint with the club.
After the game, Raleigh reflected on the mental challenge of navigating the prolonged skid. “Sometimes, you’ve just got to throw everything out the window and just go out there and say, ‘Screw it,’ and try to compete,” Raleigh said, according to MLB.com. “Sometimes, you’ve got to put the numbers and the technique and mechanics aside and just go out there and grind it out.”
Raleigh’s seventh-inning single into the right-center gap ended a hitless streak that dated back to April 27 and was approaching the longest in Mariners franchise history. The catcher later added another hit in the eighth inning, turning a frustrating stretch into his sixth multi-hit game of the season.
Mariners teammates celebrate Raleigh’s breakthrough
The emotional moment immediately sparked reactions throughout Seattle’s dugout, as teammates made sure to celebrate Raleigh finally getting back into the hit column.
The Mariners celebrate in the infield after defeating the Astros. Tim Warner/Getty Images
Bryan Woo waved towels at Raleigh after he later scored on Randy Arozarena’s RBI double, while Josh Naylor jokingly pretended to preserve the baseball from the slump-ending hit as a keepsake.
Woo also revealed postgame that Raleigh had taken a shower in full uniform following Monday’s game after another hitless performance, an idea encouraged by Logan Gilbert as the team searched for any possible spark.
Raleigh still looking for offensive consistency
Despite the encouraging performance, Raleigh is still attempting to climb out of a difficult offensive start to the season. Entering the game, the catcher had gone 15 days without a hit while continuing to struggle statistically at the plate.
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Raleigh is still batting .166 with a .249 on-base percentage and remains among the MLB leaders in strikeouts. However, the two-hit night against Houston could provide an important confidence boost moving forward as the Mariners continue their push through the season.
