Seattle Mariners Announce Cal Raleigh Decision Before Blue Jays Series
The Seattle Mariners have made their decision on catcher Cal Raleigh ahead of their important three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays, keeping their star backstop in the starting lineup for Friday’s series opener at Rogers Centre.
Raleigh was listed as Seattle’s starting catcher and fifth hitter against Toronto right-hander Dylan Cease. His inclusion comes at an important time for the Mariners, as the 29-year-old has recently begun to turn around what had been a difficult 2026 season.
After struggling for much of the year, Raleigh has suddenly found his power stroke. He delivered the first three-home-run game of his career during Seattle’s series against the Philadelphia Phillies, becoming the first Mariners player to hit three homers in a game at T-Mobile Park since Edgar Martinez did it in 1999.
Raleigh followed that historic performance with another home run the following night, giving Seattle plenty of reason to keep him in the middle of the lineup heading into the Toronto series.
The Mariners’ decision to start Raleigh behind the plate also shows the importance they continue to place on his offensive and defensive contributions. Seattle entered the Toronto series looking to build on a strong homestand and remain firmly involved in the postseason race.
For the series opener, Seattle’s lineup featured Randy Arozarena leading off, followed by Dominic Canzone, Julio Rodríguez, Josh Naylor and Raleigh. Cole Young, Taylor Ward, J.P. Crawford and Brock Rodden rounded out the lineup.
The decision came with Raleigh facing a difficult matchup against Cease, who entered the game with a 2.37 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP and an American League-leading 209 strikeouts over 144 1/3 innings. Cease had also dominated Seattle earlier in the season, holding the Mariners scoreless over seven innings in a July meeting.
Still, Raleigh’s recent surge gave Seattle confidence that he could provide a much-needed offensive boost.
His turnaround has been particularly significant because his 2026 season has been a sharp contrast to his historic 2025 campaign. Raleigh led MLB with 60 home runs and 125 RBIs last season, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous power hitters in baseball.
This season, however, he has dealt with prolonged offensive struggles, making his recent power surge especially encouraging for Seattle. He has also spent time recovering from a right oblique strain, which forced him to miss roughly a month earlier in the season.
The Mariners clearly believe Raleigh’s bat is trending in the right direction, and keeping him in the lineup against Toronto gives him another opportunity to prove that his recent production is more than a short-lived hot streak.
The Blue Jays entered the series with their own postseason ambitions, setting the stage for an important matchup between two teams fighting to stay in the playoff picture. Toronto ultimately won Friday’s opener 8-1, with George Springer going 4-for-4 with a home run and Dylan Cease striking out eight over six innings.
Raleigh went hitless in the opener, but Seattle’s decision to keep him in the lineup reflects the team’s belief that his recent offensive breakthrough can still become a major factor down the stretch.
With the Mariners continuing their road trip, Raleigh will remain one of the biggest players to watch. If his recent power surge returns, Seattle could have another dangerous middle-of-the-order bat capable of changing games at any moment.
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