Mariners Await Randy Arozarena's Return Amid Rift with Catcher Cal Raleigh

Awkward exchange between Mariners teammates at World Baseball Classic raises questions about their relationship.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 12:03am

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The Seattle Mariners are waiting for outfielder Randy Arozarena to return to spring training after he was involved in an awkward exchange with catcher Cal Raleigh during the World Baseball Classic. Arozarena, who plays for Team Mexico, was seen on video declining to shake Raleigh's hand after an at-bat against Team USA. The incident has sparked speculation about tension between the two players, though the Mariners say they expect the two to work it out privately.

Why it matters

The Mariners are hoping to contend for a World Series title this season, so any lingering issues between key players like Raleigh and Arozarena could be a distraction. The team wants to resolve the situation quickly and have the two players on the same page before the start of the regular season.

The details

Arozarena had not yet returned to Mariners camp as of Friday afternoon, a few days after Mexico was eliminated from the WBC. Mariners manager Dan Wilson said the team has had positive conversations with Arozarena, but the outfielder has not yet addressed the incident publicly. Raleigh, meanwhile, quickly downplayed the exchange, saying there is "no harm or no bad blood" between the two players.

  • On Monday night, the awkward exchange between Raleigh and Arozarena occurred during the World Baseball Classic.
  • Arozarena had not returned to Mariners camp as of Friday afternoon, March 14, 2026.

The players

Cal Raleigh

The Seattle Mariners' starting catcher, who was involved in the awkward exchange with teammate Randy Arozarena during the World Baseball Classic.

Randy Arozarena

The Seattle Mariners' starting outfielder, who plays for Team Mexico and was involved in the exchange with Raleigh at the WBC.

Dan Wilson

The manager of the Seattle Mariners, who has been in communication with Arozarena and expects him to return to the team soon.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited to get some of these guys back and get them back into camp and start to feel like we're whole again as a group.”

— Dan Wilson, Mariners Manager

“I think people are making it out to be a bigger deal than it is. But guys are proud to put on their country's uniform, and I'm proud to put on 'USA.' And like I said, I have a responsibility to my teammates and the country to be focused and locked in. There's no harm or no bad blood. There's nothing behind it. It doesn't matter who's on the other side. It could be Team Mexico, the Czech Republic, Japan, the D.R. I'm out there to win, and I'm out there to play hard and be focused, and I have no blood, no beef with anyone.”

— Cal Raleigh

What’s next

Once Arozarena returns to Mariners camp, likely in the next few days, he and Raleigh will have the opportunity to address the incident publicly and move forward as teammates with World Series aspirations.

The takeaway

The awkward exchange between Mariners teammates Raleigh and Arozarena at the World Baseball Classic has created a distraction for the team, but the Mariners are confident the two players can resolve any lingering issues privately and get on the same page before the start of the regular season.