Should we be worried about Cal Raleigh? Home run drought stretches on for Mariners slugger after record year

Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh in 2025 had arguably the greatest offensive season we've seen from a catcher. The batting average police won't love that statement, given that he hit .247, but he hit 60 home runs with 125 RBI while playing half his games in the most pitcher-friendly park in baseball. 

So far in 2026, Raleigh has been pretty terrible. All small-sample caveats apply since it's only been 10 games, but he's been very bad.

Raleigh is 5 for 38, good for a .132 batting average. He's walked five times, but that still only gets him to a .233 on-base percentage; the league average OBP so far is .316. He has two doubles, but is slugging a paltry .184. He hasn't yet hit a home run. Add it all up and he's sporting a pitiful 26 OPS+. That figure is, remember, adjusted for ballpark. 

Oh, and in 38 at-bats, Raleigh has struck out an MLB-high 20 times. 

Simply, Raleigh has been one of the worst offensive players in baseball.

Now, one of the most predictable things heading into the season was that Raleigh would be worse offensively. His previous career high in home runs was 34, so even hitting 20 fewer home runs this season would be a success. And, again, I noted above that small-sample caveats apply. Raleigh is far from the first star to have a bad 10-game stretch to start a season. 

There's an argument that this is extreme. Raleigh's longest drought without a home run last season was eight games and he's already up to 10. No other player -- on the very short list -- to hit 60 homers opened the following season by going 10 games without a home run. He's striking out at a ridiculous clip and swinging through fastballs that should be hittable. 

Right about now is when we're required to turn things around and say that it's early and all will be well eventually. That's what we do in early season baseball analysis. And for good reason. In Raleigh's case, there's legit backing to the stance, too. 

First off, he already hit one ball that should have -- or at least could have -- been a home run. Angels right fielder Jo Adell on Saturday robbed three homers in all, starting with Raleigh's first-inning liner. 

Would we even be having this conversation if Adell had mistimed his leap there? Probably not. 

Raleigh got off to a slow start last season too (though there was a home run in there). Through his first nine games, he hit .156/.289/.250. He's at .132/.233/.184 now and sure, that's worse, but not ridiculously so and that Adell theft is part of the difference. That line through Raleigh's first nine games last season compared to where he ended up is actually a nice illustration of how much things can turn around over the course of our marathon of a season. 

Yes, Raleigh already has a home-ballpark disadvantage, but as a switch-hitter, he has a built-in platoon advantage. 

All of this is to say that, yes, Raleigh has been brutal to start the 2026 season but, no, there isn't reason to panic or anything of that nature. He's still very likely going to have a big season again. The smart money is on him hitting significantly fewer home runs than last season, but that was the case before the season even started. We'd never previously seen a catcher hit 50 homers in a season, let alone 60. Expecting it again is silly.

As always in early April, patience is a virtue.