Mariners' Top Hitters Struggling Early in Season

Catcher Cal Raleigh, center fielder Julio Rodríguez, and first baseman Josh Naylor off to slow starts at the plate

Apr. 2, 2026 at 11:32pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a baseball game or match, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in the Mariners' team colors of navy blue, teal, and white, conceptually representing the team's offensive struggles in the early part of the season.The Mariners' star hitters struggle to find their rhythm as the team faces a challenging early-season schedule.Seattle Today

The Seattle Mariners' lineup has struggled mightily in the early going of the 2026 season, with key hitters like catcher Cal Raleigh, center fielder Julio Rodríguez, and first baseman Josh Naylor all off to slow starts at the plate. Through the first seven games, Raleigh is batting just .160 with 15 strikeouts, Rodríguez is hitting .154, and Naylor is batting .167.

Why it matters

The Mariners are expected to be a contender in the AL West this season, but their early offensive struggles have put them in an early hole. If their top hitters don't start producing soon, it could jeopardize their playoff hopes.

The details

Raleigh, the team's No. 2 hitter, has just 4 hits in 25 at-bats with no home runs. Rodríguez, the team's star center fielder and No. 3 hitter, has only 2 hits in 13 at-bats. And Naylor, the cleanup hitter, has 3 hits in 18 at-bats. The Mariners have faced tough pitching from the Yankees to start the season, which has contributed to the slow starts for their top hitters.

  • The Mariners have played 7 games so far this season.

The players

Cal Raleigh

The Mariners' starting catcher and No. 2 hitter in the lineup.

Julio Rodríguez

The Mariners' star center fielder and No. 3 hitter in the lineup.

Josh Naylor

The Mariners' starting first baseman and cleanup hitter in the lineup.

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The takeaway

The Mariners' early-season offensive struggles from their top hitters are a concern, but it's still very early in the season. If Raleigh, Rodríguez, and Naylor can't get going soon, it could jeopardize the team's playoff hopes, but there is still plenty of time for them to turn things around.