Mariners' Slump: Raleigh's Faith Amidst Struggles

0:00On April 22nd, Cal Raleigh, the Seattle Mariners switch hitting catcher, has stuck with the same swing since he was 9 years old. That trusty strobe powered him to runner up in American League most valuable player honors last year, where he smashed a record 60 home runs for A. Catcher. At 29, he helped push the Mariners one-winch shy of their first World Series trip, setting huge hopes for the season. Fast forward to now, and Seattle's off to a rough 10 wins and 15 losses start, sitting forth in the AL West. They're barely ahead of the Houston Astros, who lead the majors in losses at 9 and 16. Raleigh's filling a 2, batting just 177 with a 5-38 on-base plus lugging mark, his worst since rookie ball. Team A to struggling across the board. First baseman Josh Naylor is still under the Mendoza line, despite a recent hot streak, the star Julio Rodriguez is heating up but lacking his usual. Pop. The Mariners rank 15th and homers with 23, and their team average of 218 is second to last,

1:03even if they draw walks okay. Raleigh owns some of the clutch issues himself, saying guys get eager in big spots. But after sweeping the Astros early, they drop 6 of 8, showing one hot streak won't fix it. Officials note the team's getting on base decently, but can drive them in. Still, Raleigh's not pressing after his banner year, urging trust in the plan every pitch. He has faith in this group to turn it around without forcing the issue. That's your MLB News Today update, AI-powered and always on.