Cal Raleigh was placed on the IL with a right oblique strain, but MLB insider Ken Rosenthal believes the Mariners can stay competitive in the AL West.
A major early-season setback hit the Seattle Mariners when Cal Raleigh was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain, yet MLB insider Ken Rosenthal is still confident Seattle can remain in the AL West race.
Raleigh. 29. has endured a difficult start to the 2026 campaign and recently snapped a 0-for-38 slump. but his latest injury comes at a bad time for both the player and the team.. Despite the rough stretch. Rosenthal pointed to several reasons the Mariners shouldn’t spiral into panic in mid-May. even with the catcher sidelined.
The injury also carries a direct roster impact. Seattle is expected to turn to Mitch Garver for the starting role behind the plate while Raleigh sits out, a change that underscores how much the Mariners are relying on their depth as the season moves forward.
Rosenthal’s optimism starts with recent improvements to the roster.. He cited additions intended to strengthen the lineup. including Brendan Donovan and Cole Young at second base. as well as Jose Ferrer coming into the bullpen.. In his view, those upgrades give Seattle additional ways to compete, particularly in a division where margins can be thin.
While personnel changes help explain the belief, Rosenthal also emphasized health—specifically, the condition of Seattle’s pitching group.. He noted that the pitching has remained healthy. and argued that gives the Mariners a foundation to absorb the blow of losing a starting-caliber bat and defensive presence. so long as the catcher’s absence doesn’t stretch too long.
There is an obvious downside to the situation, and Rosenthal acknowledged it.. He called Raleigh’s IL placement a significant setback for Seattle. especially because it affects a key piece of the daily lineup.. Still. he framed the situation around timing. suggesting the Mariners should be fine if Raleigh isn’t forced into a prolonged recovery window.
Raleigh’s season numbers so far illustrate why his return will matter.. Through 41 games, he is hitting .161 with a .243 on-base percentage, collecting 26 hits, seven home runs, and 18 RBIs across 161 at-bats.. Those statistics reflect a catcher who has struggled offensively. but also one who still has the power to swing games once he finds the rhythm he needs.
On the division picture, Rosenthal made a simple point: no one is running away with the AL West. That matters because it reduces the damage of a mid-season injury to one team’s immediate standing—if the Mariners can keep their overall performance steady until Raleigh is back.
Rosenthal further argued that the AL West being wide open this year is a reason for the organization to remain optimistic. In his assessment, the combination of a division not fully separating and Seattle’s pitching health means a single injury shouldn’t define the rest of the season.
For Raleigh, the 10-day IL could also become a reset rather than just a pause.. It would be the first time in his career that he lands on the injured list. and the idea—grounded in the timeline of a short stint—is that time away from the lineup might help him recover and bounce back more effectively for the stretch that follows.
The Mariners’ challenge now is balancing the immediate lineup gap with sustained competitiveness.. With Garver expected to step into the catcher role. Seattle will be watching whether the offense can hold steady while Raleigh heals. and whether the club can avoid stacking additional issues on top of this setback.
In the meantime. the Mariners’ message remains clear: the road to the postseason isn’t defined by one injury in isolation.. If Raleigh’s time away remains limited—Rosenthal suggested the team should be okay unless it turns into something more significant—Seattle still has the pieces. including recent additions and a functioning pitching staff. to stay engaged in the AL West race.
Cal Raleigh IL Seattle Mariners Ken Rosenthal AL West race Mitch Garver Jose Ferrer Brendan Donovan