American League MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh returned from an absence of just more than a month due to a right oblique strain, catching and batting second as the Seattle Mariners host the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.
Raleigh last played on May 13 and has struggled this season, hitting just .161 with seven homers and 18 RBIs in 41 games entering Tuesday. He was activated from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday afternoon to end his first career stint on the IL.
Last season, Raleigh put together one of the best campaigns by a catcher in major league history when he finished behind only Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees in AL MVP balloting. Raleigh hit a franchise-best 60 homers, the most in history by a catcher and by a switch-hitter.
Raleigh, 29, also had 125 RBIs and won the Silver Slugger Award. He started the All-Star Game and became the first catcher to win the Home Run Derby.
Raleigh is in his sixth big-league season. He first reached the majors with the Mariners in 2021.
Seattle also activated shortstop J.P. Crawford (right hand contusion) and optioned catcher Jhonny Pereda to Triple-A Tacoma.
Crawford, 31, was injured when Detroit Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez hit the hand with a pitch on June 5.
He entered Tuesday batting .228 with 10 homers and 23 RBIs in 55 games this season. Crawford is in his eighth season with the Mariners and 10th overall in the majors.
Pereda, 30, was batting .270 with two homers and four RBIs in 19 games with Seattle this season. He’s best known for striking out Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers in May 2025 when serving as a mop-up pitcher in a blowout loss while playing for the Athletics.
–Field Level Media
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