Cal Raleigh says he has 'no beef' with Randy Arozarena after WBC handshake snub

Raleigh and Arozarena are teammates on the Seattle Mariners but faced off for their home countries in the World Baseball Classic.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Cal Raleigh, the Seattle Mariners catcher, says there is no lingering bad blood between him and his teammate Randy Arozarena after Raleigh refused to shake Arozarena's hand before their at-bat in a World Baseball Classic game between the United States and Mexico. Arozarena reacted angrily to the snub, telling a reporter that Raleigh could 'go to hell', but Raleigh downplayed the incident, saying 'emotions are running high' and that there is 'no beef' between the two players.

Why it matters

The handshake snub between Raleigh and Arozarena, who are teammates on the Seattle Mariners, highlights the competitive nature of the World Baseball Classic tournament where players are representing their home countries rather than their MLB clubs. While the incident drew attention, both players say there are no lasting hard feelings and they expect to continue working together when they return to Mariners camp.

The details

The incident occurred before Arozarena's first at-bat for Mexico against the United States. Raleigh appeared to say something to Arozarena, and when Arozarena offered his hand, Raleigh declined to shake it. Arozarena later reacted angrily, telling a Mexican journalist that Raleigh could 'f--- off' and 'go to hell'. However, Raleigh downplayed the incident, saying 'emotions are running high' and that there is 'no beef' between the two players.

  • The handshake snub occurred before Arozarena's first at-bat for Mexico against the United States on Monday, March 10, 2026.
  • Raleigh and Arozarena addressed the incident with reporters on Tuesday, March 11, 2026.

The players

Cal Raleigh

The Seattle Mariners catcher who was the American League MVP runner-up last season and set a record for home runs by a catcher and a switch-hitter with 60.

Randy Arozarena

The outfielder for the Seattle Mariners who was playing for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

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What they’re saying

“Emotions are running high. There's no beef here. I'm not taking this as a big deal, and I don't think he is either.”

— Cal Raleigh (nytimes.com)

“That 'good to see you' that he said to me. He can shove it straight up his ass. I'm out.”

— Randy Arozarena (nytimes.com)

“I hate that this is a thing. I love Randy. I have all the respect for him and Team Mexico.”

— Cal Raleigh (nytimes.com)

What’s next

Once the World Baseball Classic tournament is over, Raleigh and Arozarena will return to Seattle Mariners spring training camp as key players on a team with title aspirations after falling one game short of the World Series last year.

The takeaway

The handshake snub between Raleigh and Arozarena, who are teammates on the Seattle Mariners, highlights the competitive nature of the World Baseball Classic where players represent their home countries rather than their MLB clubs. However, both players have downplayed the incident, saying there are no lasting hard feelings, and they expect to continue working together when they return to Mariners camp.