Mariners Rely on Raleigh in Automated Ball-Strike System

0:00It's March 26, from the locker room to your ears. This is Seattle Mariners News today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the Story. The Seattle Mariners are putting their trust and star catcher Cal Raleigh to manage challenges under Major League Baseball's new automated ball strike system. It makes his debut at T-Mobile Park this Thursday during the 2026 home opener against the Cleveland Guardians. Each team starts with two challenges per game, which they keep if successful, and only batters or pitchers and catchers can call for them. In spring training, Mariners catchers challenge 37 calls and 125, hitting a 68% success rate that led the league. Hitters overturned 13 of 24 strike calls at 54%. Lead-wide, catchers and pitchers succeeded 60% of the time, while hitters managed 46%. Players like pitcher George Kirby plan to defer to Raleigh, who knows the strike zone best. The team held meetings to stress using challenges wisely,

1:01saving them for high leverage moments rather than early innings or minor calls, always. Putting the team first. This spring, every player got precise height measurements at 11 a.m. without shoes, accounting for how gravity affects stature daily. Mariners saw small changes, like Julio Rodriguez, now listed at 6 feet 4 inches, while the strike zone rules out at 53.5%. Of a batter's height on top and 27% at the bottom. The automated zone runs 17 inches wide, like home plate, but sits a bit smaller overall, especially lower down, which could mean more calls at. The knees. Expect Raleigh to shine as the Mariners adapted his game changer right from opening day.