Mariners' Catcher Cal Raleigh Struggling with Strikeouts

The star player is off to a slow start, whiffing on over half the fastballs in the strike zone

Apr. 6, 2026 at 3:19am

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Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is mired in one of the worst slumps of his career, going just 5-for-38 (.132) with 20 strikeouts to start the season. The underlying numbers are even more concerning, as Raleigh is whiffing on over 50% of the fastballs he's swung at that are over the heart of the plate, by far the worst rate in MLB.

Why it matters

Raleigh is coming off a 60-homer season and is a key part of the Mariners' lineup, so his struggles at the plate are a major concern for a team with high expectations. If he can't figure out his swing issues, it could derail the Mariners' season before it really gets going.

The details

Raleigh's traditional stats are ugly - he has just two doubles and no home runs so far. But the advanced metrics show an even more troubling trend. He's whiffing on over 52% of the fastballs he's swung at that are over the middle of the plate, which is the worst rate in baseball by a wide margin. To put that in context, the league-average whiff rate on those pitches is around 25%.

  • Raleigh started last season slowly as well, going 2-for-20 to open the campaign.
  • Through the Mariners' first 8 games this season, Raleigh is 5-for-38 (.132) with 20 strikeouts.

The players

Cal Raleigh

The Seattle Mariners' star catcher, coming off a 60-homer season in 2025.

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What they’re saying

“Raleigh entered the game 52.9%(!!!) whiff rate on fastballs over the heart of the plate this season. Worst out of 196 qualified hitters by TEN percentage points. About 4 sd from median.”

— Callaghan Bluechel, Baseball Analyst

What’s next

The Mariners will need to work closely with Raleigh to diagnose and fix the issues with his swing that are causing him to miss so many fastballs in the strike zone. If he can't turn things around quickly, it could be a long season for the Mariners.

The takeaway

Raleigh's early-season struggles are a major red flag for the Mariners, as the star catcher is whiffing at an alarmingly high rate on fastballs over the heart of the plate. The team will need to act fast to help him regain his swing and confidence at the plate if they want to fulfill their lofty preseason expectations.