It’s been a disappointing season for Cal Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners.
Last year, Raleigh finished second in American League MVP voting after posting 7.2 bWAR with 60 home runs and 125 RBI, and the Mariners made it all the way to ALCS Game 7.
So far this season, Raleigh has posted -0.4 bWAR with 12 home runs, 43 RBI and a .159 batting average, and the Mariners are four games out of a playoff spot with a 56-64 record. Seattle has lost its last five games.
The Mariners lost 4-1 to the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night. Raleigh went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Seattle collected just three hits as a team in the game.
After the loss, Raleigh dropped a blunt quote on his and his team’s struggles.
Seattle Mariners Catcher Cal Raleigh Drops Blunt Quote After Loss to Yankees
GettyMIAMI, FLORIDA – JULY 08: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners breaks his bat after a hit against the Miami Marlins in the first inning of the game at loanDepot park on July 08, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
“We’re not playing well. That starts with me,” Raleigh said after Tuesday’s loss (via the Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish). “I’m awful. I’ve got to find a way to be better and to help bring the guys along. We just gotta play better. We’re just playing very, very, very bad baseball in every facet of the game.”
It’s fascinating how quickly Raleigh went from arguably the best player in the American League to a below-average player.
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JUNE 19: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after a passed ball during the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox at T-Mobile Park on June 19, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images)
Raleigh’s 2025 stats:
- 7.2 bWAR
- .247/.359/.589 (168 OPS+) slash line
- 60 home runs
- 125 RBI
Raleigh’s 2026 stats:
- -0.4 bWAR
- .159/.264/.299 (63 OPS+) slash line
- 12 home runs
- 43 RBI
Seattle Mariners Having Disappointing Season
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 11: Manager Dan Wilson #6 of the Seattle Mariners looks on during batting practice before the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 11, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
As for the Mariners as a team, it’s shocking how they went from being viewed as World Series contenders to the worst team in the American League besides the Kansas City Royals, Athletics and Los Angeles Angels.
There’s still time for Seattle to get back into the postseason race thanks to the weak American League. The club is 4 1/2 games back of the Houston Astros for first place in the American League West and 4 games back of the Texas Rangers for the third American League Wild Card spot.
But the Mariners need to turn their season around quickly. They have lost seven of their last 10 games, creating a sense of urgency for the club.
The second game of Seattle’s three-game series with the Yankees is scheduled to begin at 4:05 p.m. PDT on Wednesday. The finale will commence at 10:35 p.m. PDT on Thursday. After that, the Mariners will play a three-game series against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park this weekend.
Seattle Mariners’ Cal Raleigh Makes Brutally Honest Statement After Yankees Loss